Heart disease can be prevented by managing risk factors, such as high blood pressure and cholesterol levels.
Monitoring these levels is essential for maintaining good heart health and reducing the risk of heart disease.
There are several monitoring devices available for monitoring cholesterol and blood pressure at home.
Before measuring your blood pressure do not eat or drink anything for 30 minutes and sit in a comfortable position.
Each time you measure the blood pressure, take two or three readings one minute apart and record them for better results.[Source:heart.org]
The table below shows what your blood pressure reading indicates.[Source:heart.org]
Category
Lower number
Upper number
Normal
Less than 120
Elevated
120-129
High BP - stage 1
High BP - stage 2
Hypertensive crisis
Greater than 140
Greater than 180
and/or
Greater than 120
130-139
Greater than 90
and
or
Less than 80
and
Less than 80
80-89
or
To monitor your cholesterol level get your cholesterol checked by a simple blood test, called a lipid profile.
The below table illustrates healthy levels of cholesterol by age, according to the National Institutes of Health (NIH).[Source:MedicalNewsToday]
Type of cholesterol
Age 19 or younger
Women aged 20 and above
Total cholesterol
Less than 170mg/dl
Non-HDL
Less than 120mg/dl
LDL
HDL
More than 45mg/dl
More than 40mg/dl
125-200mg/dl
Less than 100mg/dl
More than 50mg/dl
Less than 100mg/dl
125-200mg/dl
Less than 130mg/dl
Less than 100mg/dl
Less than 130mg/dl
Men aged 20 and above
To determine your heart risk, your doctor considers your cholesterol test results in context with your sex, age, and family history.[Source:heart.org]