When it comes to your health, there is some information that you need to know about your heart. The best thing you can find out about your heart condition is to see a doctor for a heart health check. However, before you go for a heart health check, these are what you need to know about your heart.
- Heart health check
If you are over 45 years old, you need to go for heart health check. A heart health check can be done as part of the normal checkup with your doctor or health practitioner. Try to give as much information about your lifestyle and family history as possible.
2. Body Mass Index (BMI)
Do you know that the higher your BMI, the greater your risk of heart disease, stroke, hypertension, and diabetes? Your body mass index(BMI) uses your height and weight to measure your amount of body fat. That is why having too much body fat can raise your risk of heart disease and other medical conditions.
3. Blood sugar level
Our blood sugar level shows the amount of sugar in our blood. However, our blood sugar levels change throughout the day depending on what we eat and digest. If you are having diabetes, your body is not able to make or properly use a hormone called as insulin. Thus, the blood sugar level will be higher. As the day passes, it will damage your heart and blood vessels too.
4. Cholesterol
There are two types of cholesterol in our blood, high-density lipoprotein(HDL), or the ‘good’ cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein (LDL), the ‘bad’ cholesterol. LDL cholesterol is a major cause of coronary heart disease. This is because too much of cholesterol in the blood will cause plaque to build up in the blood vessels.
5. Blood pressure
While our blood pressure will change throughout the day, it is very important to know that if the blood pressure is usually 140/90 or higher, it is considered hypertension, or called as high blood pressure. High blood pressure is a major risk factor for heart disease as it puts a strain on your heart health and arteries.
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