Patient LoginIt is important to understand that monitoring vital information, such as weight and regular blood pressure, can play a very important role in gauging how healthy your heart is. The heart is specialized organ that is comprised almost entirely of muscle tissues. It begins beating when a fetus is only a few weeks into development and continues to contract and dilate, pumping blood throughout the body, every second of the day for the rest of person’s life. The following are some of the most important vitals to keep track of when monitoring heart health.
Blood Pressure
It is important to keep a daily or weekly check on your blood pressure. Consistently high readings can be an indication of a developing cardiovascular problem. Factors such as stress, pain, and recent physical exertion can all result in abnormally high readings. The ideal range for blood pressure is: 90 to 120 for the systolic (top number) over 60-80 for the diastolic (bottom number). There are four stages of hypertension (high blood pressure): Prehypertension (120-139 over 80-89), Stage 1 (140-159 over 90-99), Stage 2 (160 and higher over 100 and higher), and Crisis (anything higher than 180 over anything higher than 110).
BMI Can Impact Heart Health
BMI is an abbreviation for Body Mass Index, which is a number that represents the relation between a person’s height and weight. The more weight a person carries, especially when the weight is fat, the harder a person’s heart has to work to keep blood circulating. The added stress of having to keep the excess mass fed through the cardiovascular system can lead to higher blood pressure levels, increased levels of bad cholesterol, and can lead to diabetes, which can complicate heart conditions. The optimal BMI for heart health is between 18.5 to 24, and anything over 30 is considered obese and extremely unhealthy for the heart.
Keeping Cholesterol In Check
Aside from monitoring vitals such as blood pressure, pulse, and BMI, it is important to keep regular checks on cholesterol levels. There are two types of cholesterol; LDL- Low Density Lipoproteins, is considered the “bad” cholesterol which can form plaques inside arteries and lead to many different cardiovascular problems. HDL- High Density Lipoproteins, is considered beneficial, or “good” as they can actually reduce the amount of LDL in the blood. Foods that are high in unhealthy fats can contribute to the amount of LDL in the body and in turn lead to severe heart disease. It is suggested to have your cholesterol levels checked on a yearly basis, or every three months, if levels are found to be dangerously imbalanced.