Heart Health Quiz & Guide
Find out how healthy your heart is and discover for preventing heart disease from Beaufort Memorial Hospital
Heart Calculus
Does your heart health make the grade? Take this quick quiz and find out Start with 100, adding or subtracting points as you check each true statement, then total the numbers to see how your heart scores.
____ I have a family history of heart disease. (-5) You can’t change your parents, but if you know you have an elevated risk for heart disease, you can pay closer attention to those things you can change.
___ I get my blood pressure checked at least every two years and my cholesterol tested at least every four to six years. (+10) Without these important tests, you won’t know whether you have two risk factors for heart disease: high blood pressure or high cholesterol.
___ I smoke. (-20) If you smoke, your heart disease risk is two to four times that of a nonsmoker.
___ I fill half my plate with fruits and vegetables. (+10) Following a nutritious diet will help you manage your weight, cholesterol and blood pressure.
___ I have high cholesterol. (-10) With higher cholesterol numbers comes higher heart disease risk. Total cholesterol should be less than 180 mg/dL.
___ I have high blood pressure. (-15) High blood pressure, which makes the heart work harder, is a serious risk factor. Blood pressure should be 120/80 mmHg or lower.
___ I exercise for at least 150 minutes each week. (+10) Regular exercise—even just walking—is key to keeping the heart healthy. Exercise is also a great tool for relieving stress and lowering blood pressure.
___ I consume more than one (for women) or two (for men) alcoholic drinks per day. (-5) Higher levels of alcohol consumption can raise blood pressure, which affects heart disease risk.
___ I’m overweight or obese. (-10, overweight; -20, obese) If you’re carrying excess weight, your risk for high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes increases. Losing just 10 percent of your current weight can make a difference.
___ I have diabetes. (-15 if well-controlled; -25 if not) If you have diabetes, your risk for heart disease or stroke is two to four times higher than for adults who don’t have diabetes. And the risks increase even further when blood sugar levels are not well controlled.
Your Grade 90 or higher: A. You’re doing a good job of keeping risk factors at bay and managing your health. Keep it up! 80–89: B. You’re managing your risk factors, but there’s room for improvement. 70–79: C. You’re getting by, but you’re letting a few things slip. It’s time to take a closer look at your risk factors and make some changes. 60–69: D. You’re in dangerous territory. It’s time to rethink several of your lifestyle habits. 59 and below. You’re running a high risk for heart disease. Talk to your doctor today about your heart-health concerns.
Your Heart: An Owner’s Manual What you can do to protect against heart disease every day of the year You’re no stranger to maintenance when it comes to your home. After all, you do dishes daily, laundry weekly and swap the batteries in your smoke detectors annually. (We can wait if you need to check on that last one.) Are you as vigilant when it comes to your ticker? Consider this your heart handbook, organized by the upkeep you should provide daily, weekly, monthly and yearly.
Daily Just say no. “The most important thing you can do for your heart is live a tobacco-free life,” says Timothy Church, MD, PhD, a spokesman for the American Heart Association (AHA). After just 12 hours of being smoke-free, your heart rate and blood pressure drop, and the carbon monoxide levels in your blood return to normal. Slow down on the salt. Don’t go over 1,500 milligrams per day, as recommended by the AHA. Most of the salt you consume is in packaged foods, so start by checking the sodium content on nutrition labels and choosing low-sodium options. Fill up on fiber. The AHA recommends at least 25 grams per day (one cup of black beans has about 12 grams), which may help lower cholesterol and reduce risk for heart disease.
Weekly Get active. “Sitting kills you,” Church says. “Lead a physically active life and aim for 150 minutes of moderate-intensity activity each week.” And, yes, brisk walking counts. Eat (mostly) healthy. You don’t have to cut out all foods you love. Church advocates the 80/20 rule: “If 80 percent of the time you’re doing the right thing, then 20 percent you can slip a little bit,” he says.
Monthly Hit the drugstore. “Very effective heart medications are now generic,” Church says. Don’t let cost keep you from refilling your prescriptions. Talk to your doctor immediately if you’re unable to afford a medication.
Yearly Become a regular. See your doctor annually for a checkup, and keep up with screenings. Have your blood pressure checked at least every two years, your cholesterol at least every five years and your blood sugar every three years.