It’s tempting to turn a blind eye to heart disease, but clearly not wise.
Cardiovascular disease kills more than 2,000 Americans every day or about one person—every minute.
Makes you
see red, doesn’t it?
During National Heart Month, the hospitals of Covenant Health encourage East Tennesseans to
“See Red” and learn how to keep their hearts beating strong.
See Red signifies Covenant Health’s wholehearted commitment to the fight against heart disease—from education and prevention to early detection and the most advanced treatments.
During February, open your eyes to the facts about cardiovascular disease and take action to protect yourself:
- Talk to your doctor about heart disease
- Know your risk factors for heart attack or stroke
- Recognize symptoms of a heart attack
A Heart Health Assessment Could Open Your Eyes
Take this online heart health assessment to learn more about how you can reduce your chances of a heart attack.
Seven Numbers That Matter Most for Your Heart
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Cholesterol
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Total cholesterol of 200 mg/dL or lower.
HDL ("good" cholesterol) of 50 mg/dL or higher, if you're a woman, or 40 mg/dL or higher, if you're a man.
Optimal LDL is 100 or lower |
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Fasting Glucose
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Less than 100 mg/dL -- Optimal
100 mg/dL to 125 mg/dL -- Pre-Diabetic
More than 125 mg/dL -- Diabetic |
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Blood Pressure
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Less than 120/80 mm Hg – Normal
120/80 mm Hg to 139/89 mm Hg -- Prehypertension
140/90 mm Hg to 159/99 mm Hg -- Stage 1 hypertension
160/100 mm Hg or higher -- Stage 2 hypertension |
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Body Mass Index (BMI)
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Less than 18.5 -- Underweight
18.5-24.9 -- Healthy Weight
25-29.9 -- Overweight
30-39.9 -- Obese
40+ -- Morbidly Obese |
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Physical Activity
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30 minutes of exercise 6x week |
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Sleep
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7 to 8 hours of sleep a night
Too little sleep can promote calcium buildup in the heart arteries, leading to the plaques that can break apart and cause heart attacks and strokes.
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| Smoking |
The single most important thing you can do for a healthy heart is to STOP SMOKING!
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