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Warren County Guide to Physical Activity |
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Warren County Guide to Physical Activity |
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Know Your Numbers
Cholesterol
If your total cholesterol level is 240 or more, it's definitely high, putting you at a higher risk of heart attack and stroke. You should have your LDL and HDL cholesterol tested. People whose total cholesterol is 200 to 239 mg/dL have borderline-high cholesterol. If your total cholesterol is less than 200 mg/dL, your heart attack risk is relatively low, unless you have other risk factors.
New studies published in the Oct. 24, 2004 issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine, highlight the risks associated with pre-hypertension, a new classification announced last year that includes people at risk for developing high blood pressure or hypertension. Now, anyone with a systolic (top number) reading of 120 or over, or a diastolic (bottom) reading of 80 or over, has pre-hypertension, which means they're at increased risk of heart disease and stroke.
If you're an adult and your blood pressure is 140/90 mm Hg or above, you have hypertension and are at risk for heart disease, stroke and other medical problems. If you are consistently above 120/80 mm Hg, you should see your doctor to learn how to manage your blood pressure and how often to check it. High blood pressure has no symptoms, so if you haven't had it checked in a while, make an appointment now. One in four adult Americans has high blood pressure, and nearly one-third of them don't know they have it.
· Obesity -- People with a body mass index (BMI) of 30.0 or higher are more likely to develop high blood pressure.
· Eating too much salt -- High sodium intake increases blood pressure in some people.
· Drinking too much alcohol -- Heavy and regular use of alcohol can increase blood pressure dramatically.
· Lack of physical activity -- An inactive lifestyle makes it easier to become overweight and increases the chance of high blood pressure.
· Stress -- This is often mentioned as a risk factor, but stress levels are hard to measure, and responses to stress vary from person to person.
· Race -- African Americans develop high blood pressure more often than whites, and it tends to occur earlier and be more severe.
· Heredity -- If your parents or other close blood relatives have high blood pressure, you're more likely to develop it.
· Age -- In general, the older you get, the greater your chance of developing high blood pressure. It occurs most often in people over age 35. Men seem to develop it most often between age 35 and 55. Women are more likely to develop it after menopause.
