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Winter has come. With the days getting shorter and many of us less active, it’s a good time to focus on heart health. Intermountain Health and St. Vincent Regional Hospital are committed to educating patients about ways to improve heart health.

heart disease is leading cause of death for both men and women. One person dies from cardiovascular disease every 36 seconds in the United States, and approximately 659,000 people die from heart disease in the United States each year. 1 in 4 deaths.

To help people reduce their risk of heart disease, heart experts at Intermountain Health Heart and Vascular Program recommend that people know their heart “numbers.”

These include:
1. Blood pressure
2. Body mass index
3.Blood sugar level
4. Total cholesterol level
5. HDL cholesterol level

1. Blood pressure
Blood pressure is the force of blood against the arteries. It is measured in two numbers. One is systolic blood pressure, which is the pressure of blood against the artery walls when the heart squeezes it out, and the other is diastolic blood pressure, which is the pressure of blood against the artery walls when the heart is at rest. beat.

An example blood pressure reading is 120/80, which reads “120 over 80.”

Blood pressure changes throughout the day, but it’s important to know the following:

• In most cases, a blood pressure of 120/80 is considered normal.
• In most cases, a person is considered to have high blood pressure if their blood pressure is above 120/80 and below 140/90.
• If your blood pressure is typically 140/90 or higher, you are considered to have high blood pressure. High blood pressure is a major risk factor for heart disease because it puts strain on the heart and arteries. Over time, the heart may become weaker and the arteries may become stiffer and unable to carry blood throughout the body. This can lead to serious and even life-threatening problems such as heart attack, heart failure, and stroke.

2. Body mass index
BMI uses height and weight to measure the amount of body fat. It’s important to know if your body fat is within a healthy range, as too much body fat can increase your risk of heart disease and other medical conditions.

You can use this tool from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute to calculate your BMI. Your girlfriend’s BMI falls into one of the following ranges:

• Less than 18.5 = underweight
• 18.5 to 24.9 = normal weight
• 25 to 29.9 = overweight
• 30+ = obesity

“Being overweight increases your risk of heart disease and is associated with other serious diseases such as diabetes. Maintaining a healthy weight benefits your overall health and lowers your risk of heart disease.” It’s a huge help,” said Taylor Paul, director of cardiology at Intermountain Health St. Vincent Regional Hospital.
3.Blood sugar level
Blood sugar levels, also called blood sugar levels, indicate the amount of sugar in the blood. Blood sugar levels change throughout the day as you eat and digest food. When testing your blood sugar level, you will be asked not to eat for several hours before the test, and your results will fall into one of the following ranges:

• Less than 100 mg/dl = normal
• 100-125 mg/dl = prediabetes
• 126 mg/dl or more = diabetes

When you have diabetes, your body is unable to produce or properly use the hormone called insulin, which moves sugar from your bloodstream to your cells, resulting in high blood sugar levels. Over time, it can damage your heart and blood vessels.
4. Total cholesterol level
Cholesterol is a soft, waxy substance that is present in the blood and in all cells of the body. Some cholesterol is necessary to help digest food and produce hormones, but too much can lead to heart disease.

Total cholesterol includes:

• HDL, or “good” cholesterol. HDL helps remove some of the LDL or “bad” cholesterol from the blood.
• LDL, or “bad” cholesterol. LDL can cause plaque to build up in your blood vessels.
• Triglyceride is a type of fat. Triglycerides are also associated with plaque buildup.

A simple blood test can measure your total cholesterol level, and the results may look like this: – 200 mg/dL or less = normal
– 200 – 239 mg/dL = borderline high
– 240 mg/dL or higher = high

“When there is too much cholesterol in the blood, plaque builds up in the blood vessels, a condition called atherosclerosis, or hardening of the arteries. Over time, the blood vessels become narrowed or completely blocked, causing It can lead to heart attacks and strokes,” Paule said.

5. HDL cholesterol level

HDL (high-density lipoprotein) is known as the “good” cholesterol because it helps remove some of the LDL from the blood. HDL levels in total cholesterol should be high.

for example:
– HDL 60 or higher = high
– HDL below 40 = low

Once you know your blood pressure, BMI, blood sugar, total cholesterol, and HDL cholesterol levels, you can talk to your doctor about ways to manage and lower your risk of heart disease and serious problems such as heart attack and stroke.

“If your numbers are within a healthy range, your doctor will tell you how often you should come in for tests to maintain those numbers,” says Paule. “But if that’s not the case, your doctor may suggest lifestyle changes such as eating a heart-healthy diet, getting regular physical activity, quitting smoking, finding healthy ways to cope with stress, or increasing blood pressure.” We can prescribe medications to help control things like diabetes and cholesterol.

For more information about heart health and to take the heart health quiz, visit: https://connect.intermountainhealth.org/heart