Do You Know Your Numbers?

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Do You Know Your Numbers?

 

By: Christine Haran

Last Reviewed on: September 15, 2004

By Christine Haran

 

Cholesterol, blood sugar, body mass index, blood pressure—there are a lot of

risk factors to keep track of if you want to avoid many of the diseases

associated with aging, such as heart disease, stroke and diabetes. And if it

seems like the cut-off for what cholesterol or blood sugar or blood pressure

level is considered healthy keeps dropping, that's because guidelines for

managing many of these risk factors have been revised.

 

Most recently, the National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP) guidelines on

cholesterol management were changed. The update, published in the July 13 issue

of Circulation recommended that people at very high risk of cardiovascular

disease lower their level of LDL, the " bad " cholesterol, to less than 70 mg/dL,

down 30 points from the prior guidelines' suggested goal of less than 100 mg/dL.

The NCEP defines very high-risk patients as those who have had coronary heart

disease and have multiple or poorly controlled risk factors.

 

For high-risk patients, including those with coronary heart disease, disease

of the blood vessels to the brain or extremities, or diabetes, or multiple risk

factors such as smoking and hypertension, the goal is still an LDL level of less

than 100 mg/dL. If your LDL level is between 100 and 129 mg/dL, the guidelines

advise you and your doctor to consider adding a cholesterol-lowering drug, or

increasing the dose you are currently taking. People at moderately high risk may

now opt for a lower LDL goal as well: They can aim for under 100 mg/dL, rather

than 130 mg/dL.

 

 

" The studies demanded this change in the guidelines, " says Adolph M. Hutter,

Jr., MD, a cardiologist at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston. " There's

probably no LDL level that's too low for people with coronary heart disease. "

Dr. Hutter said that reaching the new LDL goals would require the use of

cholesterol-lowering statin drugs in many cases. The NCEP report also stressed

the importance of a healthy lifestyle that includes a nutritious diet and

exercise, and maintaining a healthy weight.

 

Below is a compilation of some of measurements important to your health that

you and your physician should track. These numbers are estimates: Keep in mind

that you and your physician should set your own personal targets based on your

individual needs.

 

Cholesterol Levels for People with Low to Moderate Risk of Heart Disease:

Having a lot of cholesterol in the blood leads to build-up in the walls of the

arteries and can cause arteries to narrow and harden, blocking blood flow to the

heart. While LDL cholesterol is the primary source of cholesterol build-up, HDL

cholesterol, or the " good " cholesterol, helps to prevent LDL build-up.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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