| Since heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States and among Brooklynites, lowering your risk factors and increasing heart healthy behaviors are key steps to living a longer and healthier life. Risk factors include: high blood pressure, high cholesterol, obesity, diabetes, family history and smoking.
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Blood Pressure Levels for People without Heart Disease
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| Blood Pressure |
Good |
Normal |
Borderline |
High |
Systolic
(top number represents when the heart
contracts and pumps blood out) |
120 or less |
120-130 |
131-140 |
141 and higher |
Diastolic
(bottom number counts between beats,
as your heart fills with blood again) |
80 or less |
80--85 |
86--90 |
91 and higher
|
|
Cholesterol and Triglyceride Levels for People (without Heart Disease), mg/dL
|
| Blood Lipid |
Good |
Borderline |
Bad |
| Total cholesterol |
200 or less |
200-239 |
240 and above |
| LDL cholesterol ("bad cholesterol") |
130 or less |
130-159 |
160 and above |
| Triglycerides |
200 or less |
200-399 |
400 and above |
| HDL cholesterol ("good cholesterol") |
60 or above |
|
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With cholesterol levels it is not only the overall number that is important, but also the ratio of good to bad cholesterol.
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Blood Sugar: Diabetes Testing
(The amount of glucose (sugar) in your blood changes throughout the day. Your levels vary depending upon when, what and how much you have eaten, and whether you have exercised.)
|
| NORMAL BLOOD GLUCOSE RANGE |
low to mid 100s |
| A DIAGNOSIS OF DIABETES |
200 mg/dl or higher + symptoms* |
*Symptoms include fatigue, excessive urination, excessive thirst or unplanned weight loss.
Keeping your weight under control
Obesity is an increasing problem in the United States and excessive weight can be a contributing factor in several chronic diseases. Today, a BMI (Body Mass Index) score is used as a guide to determine if an individual’s weight could adversely impact their health. A healthy BMI is considered to be 25 and under, to find out your BMI click here. |