• (Vietnamese version): 5 con số quan trọng với sức khỏe tim mạch

Knowing these five key numbers can give you an accurate picture of your current cardiovascular health. This will help to raise your awareness and provide continuous motivation to maintain healthy heart metrics.

A helpful tip to remember these metrics is to think of these five numbers as the fingers on one hand, counting them sequentially to ensure you’ve checked each one.

“We must remember that all these numbers are just reference points. Determining whether you have high or low blood pressure is not that simple—your doctor is the one who can assess the specifics accurately.” – Dr. Michael Blaha, Cardiologist at Johns Hopkins University Hospital.

ONE: Daily Step Count

Blaha notes that being active can improve all cardiovascular health metrics and reduce disease risk. Therefore, he often encourages people to walk about 10,000 steps each day, which is roughly equivalent to 8 kilometers. Another simple rule is to engage in at least 150 minutes of exercise each week.

TWO: Blood Pressure

High blood pressure, or hypertension, often has no clear symptoms and can only be detected through measurement. The ideal blood pressure level is 120/80 mmHg, while 140/90 mmHg is considered normal for most people. Higher blood pressure readings indicate that the arteries are not responding properly to the pressure of blood pushing against their walls, increasing the risk of heart disease or stroke.

Some Tips for Measuring Blood Pressure Initial Measurement: Measure blood pressure in both arms. Use the arm with the higher reading for future measurements. Multiple Readings: Measure blood pressure at least twice, with a gap of 1-2 minutes between readings. If the difference between the two measurements is greater than 10 mmHg, take additional readings after resting for 5 minutes. The recorded blood pressure value should be the average of the last two readings. Home Monitoring: If in doubt, you can monitor blood pressure using an automatic device at home or a 24-hour automatic blood pressure monitor. Manual Measurement: If not using an automatic device, locate the brachial artery in the arm to place the stethoscope. Inflate the cuff 30 mmHg above the point where the pulse is no longer felt. Release the pressure at a rate of 2-3 mmHg per heartbeat. Understanding Readings: Systolic blood pressure corresponds to the first sound heard, while diastolic blood pressure corresponds to the point when the sound completely disappears.

THREE: Non-HDL Cholesterol Levels

Non-HDL cholesterol reflects the total amount of “bad” cholesterol in the body and is commonly used to assess the risk of cardiovascular disease. It is calculated by subtracting HDL (high-density lipoprotein) cholesterol from your total cholesterol, indicating the level of fats in the blood that can narrow and obstruct arteries, potentially leading to heart issues.

For non-HDL cholesterol, the lower the number, the better: Aim for a level below 130 mg/dL; if you are at high risk for heart disease, the target should be below 70–100 mg/dL. Regular testing at the hospital is essential to monitor your non-HDL cholesterol levels and receive appropriate advice from your doctor.

FOUR: Blood Sugar Levels

High blood sugar increases the risk of diabetes, a condition that can severely damage the arteries. In fact, both type 1 and type 2 diabetes are among the biggest risk factors for cardiovascular disease.

FIVE: Hours of Sleep Each Night

While there isn’t a universal “right” number for everyone, maintaining a sleep duration that suits your needs can help reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, according to Blaha. Generally, most people require between six to eight hours of sleep each night.

What Health Experts Recommend: Pay Attention to the “Talking” Numbers Dr. Seth Martin, a cardiologist at Johns Hopkins, shares, “I’ve been using health tracking devices for many years, and it has changed my habits because I check the data daily.” When he first started, Martin typically only achieved about 5,000 steps a day. “That really opened my eyes. There were days when my step count was only 2,000.” Since he began tracking, he now almost always meets or exceeds his goal of 10,000 steps by the end of each workday. He organizes walking meetings with colleagues, takes strolls whenever possible, and avoids using elevators. If he falls short of his goal after work, he actively makes it up by hitting the gym, playing tennis, golfing, or simply walking outdoors. “Tracking the numbers and taking immediate action creates motivation and is truly effective,” he encourages.

• Author: this article is sourced from HopkinsMedicine.org, featuring insights from Dr. Michael Blaha, a cardiologist at Johns Hopkins Medicine.