Research has shown that 80 percent of heart attacks in women are preventable if you make the right choices for your heart, such as changing your eating habits, getting regular exercise and managing cholesterol and blood pressure.
Blood glucose: A fasting plasma glucose test measures the amount of sugar in the blood. It is used to help diagnose diabetes, which can contribute to heart disease.
|Less than 100 mg/dL||Normal|
|126 or higher||Diabetes|
Blood pressure: Blood pressure is the force of blood against the walls of arteries.
|Less than 120/80||Optimal|
|140/90 or higher||High blood pressure|
Total blood cholesterol: Cholesterol is a fat-like substance that can clog arteries, leading to heart disease.
|Less than 200 mg/dL||Desirable|
|200-239 mg/dL||Borderline high|
|240 mg/dL or higher||High|
Body mass index: Body mass index is a measure of body fat based on height and weight that applies to both adult men and women.
|Less than 18.5||Underweight|
|30 or greater||Obese|