KNOW YOUR CARE TEAM

Chances are you may have seen a nurse practitioner (NP) or physician assistant (PA) during a doctor’s office visit sometime in your lifetime. While they are not medical doctors, these highly trained health care providers work hand in hand with physicians as part of your health care team.

These providers have the expertise to diagnose and treat patients in a variety of specialties. They undergo years of medical training — in fact, most have a master’s degree or a doctorate. Working under the supervision of your doctor, PAs and NPs perform clinical exams, diagnose and treat illnesses, order labs and tests, and prescribe medications. Houston Methodist is home to dozens of such providers, who provide expert, compassionate care throughout the system.

YOUR HEALTH by the numbers

For these key measurements, keeping your results within these healthy ranges will go a long way toward maintaining your best heart health.

Blood Pressure: Less than 120/80 mmHg

Body Mass Index: 18.5 to 25 kg/m2

Fasting Blood Sugar: 80 to 99 mg/dL

Total Cholesterol: Less than 200 mg/dL

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