Two Numbers to Check during Heart Health Month
Welcome to Heart Health Month. This February, learn more about how to protect your most vital muscle – your heart! Blood pressure and cholesterol are important measures of its health. Stay on top of these numbers to help lower your risk of heart disease or stroke.
Did you know?
Blood pressure normally rises and falls throughout the day. Having constant high blood pressure puts extra stress on the heart that may cause damage.
About 1 in 5 heart attacks is silent (this means the person wasn’t even aware they had one).1
The two types of cholesterol:
- Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) or “bad” cholesterol, which clogs arteries with fatty buildup.
- High-density lipoprotein (HDL) or “good” cholesterol. HDL moves LDL cholesterol away from the arteries and sends it back to the liver.
High blood pressure or cholesterol may not have any symptoms. Be proactive by having your doctor check yearly to see if your numbers are in range. If not, your doctor may recommend:
- Lifestyle changes such as exercise and nutrition
- Reducing stress
- Medications, if needed
Discover more heart-health tips as well as the Columbia Benefits available to you and your loved ones.
1 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Heart disease facts. cdc.gov/heartdisease/facts.htm. Page last reviewed Oct. 14, 2022.