The NJ Police Chief Magazine Volume 25, Number 2 | Page 31

The New Jersey Police Chief Magazine | February 2019
Healthy Living Tips from
IT’S NATIONAL HEART MONTH: Know Your Numbers!
How can you know if you’re at risk for diabetes, heart disease and other chronic diseases? There is a system of “numbers” we can
use to tell us! By knowing your numbers, you can take action to make positive changes that will help prevent the onset of chronic
health conditions.
Here are some of the numbers that are important for you to know:
 Blood Pressure – People with untreated high blood pressure face greater lifetime health risks. Your blood pressure is also
one of the strongest markers for heart disease risk, measured as two numbers:

 Systolic pressure is the upper number and is the pressure when the heart is contracting.
Diastolic is the second number and is the pressure when the heart is at rest between beats.
New guidelines on blood pressure indicate lower numbers than previously accepted:





Normal: Less than 120/80 mm Hg;
Elevated: Systolic between 120-129 and diastolic less than 80
Stage 1: Systolic between 130-139 or diastolic between 80-89
Stage 2: Systolic at least 140 or diastolic at least 90 mm Hg
Hypertensive crisis: Systolic over 180 and/or diastolic over 120
People with untreated high blood pressure face greater lifetime health risks.
 Cholesterol Levels – Too much “bad” cholesterol can lead to a hardening of your arteries. This can put you at risk for a heart
attack or stroke. The American Heart Association recommends cholesterol levels checked every four to six years.

 LDL is the “bad” cholesterol, and lower is better. It contributes to fatty buildups in arteries (atherosclerosis).
 Triglyceride levels vary by age and sex. The most common type of fat in the body, triglycerides store excess energy from your
diet. People with high triglycerides often have a high total cholesterol level. Many people with heart disease or diabetes also
have high triglyceride levels.
HDL is the “good” cholesterol. HDL acts as a scavenger, carrying LDL cholesterol away from the arteries and back to the liver.
There it’s broken down and passed from the body.
Get your cholesterol checked and talk to your doctor about your numbers and how they impact your overall risk.
 Blood Sugar – A glucose test is commonly used to diagnose the presence of diabetes. A fasting blood sugar (taken after you
haven’t eaten for 12 hours) should be below 100 mg/dL.
 Body Mass Index (BMI) – This will give you a better idea of your health risk than weight alone and is calculated from two
other numbers that you probably know: your weight and height. It is not a perfect measure, but for most of us, BMI is a great
way
to
gauge
how
our
weight
compares
to
recommended
levels.
To calculate your BMI: (Weight in Pounds / [ Height in inches x Height in inches ]) x 703.
BMI values from 18.5 to 24.9 are healthy.
For more information about how Deborah Heart and Lung Center’s leading-edge technologies can
improve your quality of life or an appointment with a Deborah specialist, please visit our website:
www.demanddeborah.org
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