With a strong, healthy heart, you have stamina to get through the day’s tasks and chores. If you need a burst of power to sprint the last 30 feet to catch a bus, to keep up with a toddler or to enjoy a bike ride, a healthy heart is always your friend.
February is American Heart Month, which helps raise awareness of ways to reduce the risk of heart disease, the leading cause of death in Virginia and the United States. As we settle into 2024, knowing your blood pressure and other important health-related numbers can help you protect your heart and health.
Your heart beats 60 to 100 times per minute as it pumps blood through the body. Blood pressure measures the force of blood against artery walls. Too high a blood pressure over time can damage arteries and organs, leading to heart disease, kidney damage, stroke and eye problems.
Blood pressure is measured as two numbers — the systolic pressure or top number, and the diastolic pressure or the bottom number — normally written as systolic number/diastolic number. The American College of Cardiology and the American Heart Association define normal blood pressure as a top number below 120 mmHg and a bottom number below 80 mmHg. Slightly higher is considered elevated. When the top number is consistently 130 or higher or the bottom number consistently 80 or higher, a person has high blood pressure, also called hypertension.
Of the Virginia adults who responded to a 2021 health survey, 34.4% said they had been told by a health care provider that they had hypertension. Experts believe as many as 1 in 5 adults with hypertension is unaware or undiagnosed. You can have hypertension without symptoms, thus the nickname the “silent killer.” Taking a blood pressure reading is quick and easy. A health care provider can check it, or you can use a home monitor and cuff. A diagnosis must be confirmed by a health professional.
Medications can lower blood pressure, but often so can watching your diet, being physically active and managing stress. Here are some additional numbers to know and lifestyle adjustments you can make to help improve your heart health.
- BMI and waist circumference. Carrying extra pounds, especially around the midsection, can stress the heart and blood vessels. Body mass index, or BMI, and waist circumference are used to estimate overweight and obesity. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) shows how to assess your weight using these measures.
- Sodium intake. The body needs some sodium, but too much can raise blood pressure. Healthy adults should limit sodium to 2,300 milligrams or less daily. Look for low-sodium options when shopping or eating out. Consider following the DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) eating plan.
- Physical activity. Whether counting steps or minutes, make movement a regular part of your day. Adults should get at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise per week.
- Cholesterol. High levels of low-density lipoprotein, the so-called bad cholesterol, can cause fatty deposits to build up in the arteries. On the other hand, high-density lipoprotein, or the “good” cholesterol, can lower risk of heart disease. Adults should aim for a total cholesterol level below 200. You can lower cholesterol by making these CDC-recommended healthy choices.
The Virginia Department of Health’s Virginia Cardiovascular Health Program, funded by the CDC, works to prevent and manage heart disease in people at risk. Strategies focus on blood pressure control, reducing heart disease disparities, and connecting groups at high risk for heart disease and stroke to clinical and social services. Program initiatives include the Healthy Heart Ambassador Blood Pressure Self-Monitoring Program and Moms Under Pressure, the latter a blood pressure self-monitoring program intended for pregnant and postpartum women.
Please take time this month to get your blood pressure checked. It’s a simple preventive screening that can make a big difference.
Karen Shelton, M.D., is Virginia state health commissioner. Email her at healthcommissioner@vdh.virginia.gov.