Preventing heart disease is often a numbers game.
Doctors measure your cholesterol levels, BMI, blood sugar and waist circumference because they can be predictors of heart trouble if they’re too high.
But there’s another key number to know, keep track of and lower if it’s above healthy limits for cardiovascular health.
Heart health tip of the day: Get high blood pressure under control
There are some heart disease risk factors you can’t change, like family history and getting older. But some conditions are within your control, such as hypertension, also called high blood pressure.
“High blood pressure is the most important modifiable risk factor for heart disease,” NBC News medical contributor Dr. Natalie Azar said on TODAY.
You can manage it with lifestyle changes and medication.
Why it matters
A recent study analyzed the updated high blood pressure guidelines released by the American Heart Association and American College of Cardiology last year.
It found that of the 81 million U.S. adults who have high blood pressure, defined as 130/80 or higher, almost 23 million are eligible for medication. But of those people, almost half — close to 10 million — remain untreated.
If that group were to take drugs to keep blood pressure in check, 162,000 cardiovascular deaths may be prevented in the next 10 years, the authors noted.
But most people don’t know they have high blood pressure, Azar said. It’s known as the “silent killer” because it often has no symptoms, but can lead to stroke, heart failure and coronary artery disease.
How to get started
You can estimate your risk of developing cardiovascular disease over the next 30 years by taking the American Heart Association PREVENT Online Calculator.
The free tool asks for basic health information, including blood pressure, cholesterol, smoking status and diabetes history. It’s designed for adults who are 30 or older and don’t currently have heart disease.
“I think this tool is useful,” Azar said. “You can do it yourself, but talk to your doctor about it because that’s how they’re going to risk stratify you.”
If the result indicates blood pressure treatment is needed, you can try lifestyle interventions first, including a healthy diet such as the DASH diet, regular exercise, managing stress and limiting alcohol, Azar noted.
Limiting salt is important, too. Use a salt substitute, plus garlic, vinegar and spices to flavor food.
This story first appeared on TODAY.com. More from TODAY:
