Five simple ways to monitor heart health

Tracking a few simple numbers can help you track your heart health.

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Blood pressure

Blood pressure is a measure of the force of blood exerting pressure on the walls of blood vessels. The American College of Cardiology and the American Heart Association define normal blood pressure as less than 120/80 mmHg. The upper or systolic value is 130-139 or the lower, diastolic value is 80-89 mm Hg. Art. are considered hypertensive disease stage 1. Consecutive readings of 140/90 mm Hg. or higher are considered stage 2 hypertension.

Blood sugar

On a fasting blood sugar test, readings between 100 and 125 mg/dL are considered prediabetes, which means you are at risk of developing type 2 diabetes, which can lead to heart disease and stroke. A reading of 126 or higher on more than one occasion is considered diabetes.

Cholesterol

A blood test will show the levels of different types of this waxy, fatty substance in the blood, which associated with cardiovascular diseases. A doctor can use these results along with other numbers to give a detailed estimate of heart disease risk.

Body mass index or waist measurement

These are measures of obesity. If you know your height and weight, you can use an online calculator. And research shows that waist-to-hip ratio measurements may be a better predictor of heart attack risk than body mass index, especially in women.

Sleep

By According to the American Academy of Sleep Medicine and the Sleep Research Society, adults need at least seven hours of sleep a day. But too much sleep can be just as harmful as too little.