DOCTOR? Take Steps Toward Better Heart Health Keep Your Numbers In Check Factor Goal Total Cholesterol Less than 200 mg/dL LDL (“Bad”) Cholesterol LDL cholesterol goals vary. Less than 100 mg/dL Optimal 130 to 159 mg/dL Borderline High 160 fo 189 mg/dL High 190 mg/dL and above Very High HDL(“Good") Cholesterol 50 mg/dl or higher* Blood Pressure Less than 120/80 mmHg Body Mass Index (BMI) Less than 25 Kg/m? @ *Talk to your healthcare provider about your individual goal for HDL. (NAPSA)—You can help beat heart disease, the No. 1 killer of women, by taking small steps toward better heart health. Go Red for Women, a national movement created by the American Heart Association, educates women on ways to improve their heart health and live stronger, longerlives. Take Action Against Heart Disease stress, becoming physically active and eating well can reduce your risk of heart disease. Right choices can reduce your risk of heart disease: Choose to move, notsit. Choose to eat baked, not fried. die from cardiovascular diseases Choose to breathe, not smoke. Have Annual Checkups With Your Doctor An annual checkup with a primary care physician is an important part of being heart healthy. taking just a few small steps, you Allen Goldberg, executive director Know Your Cholesterol Levels Many women don’t realize that high cholesterol is a major control- Co., Inc. “Patients should see their Nearly half a million women in the U.S. each year, but heart disease is largely preventable. By can receive big rewards: lable risk factor for heart disease; knowing your cholesterol levels is an important first step toward taking charge of your heart health. Other important numbers to keep track of are blood pressure and body mass index, used to estimate if a person is overweight according to their height. Make Simple Life Changes Making small and simple life- style changes such as managing “Consider your doctor a partner in managing your health,” says Dr. of scientific affairs at Merck & doctor on an annual basis in order to catch heart disease early.” Prior to seeing your doctor, visit www.GoRedForWomen.org and take the Go Red Heart CheckUp. Bring the results to your doctor as topics to help evaluate your overall heart health. For more information about Go Red For Women,visit www.GoRed ForWomen.org. Merck & Co., a leader in cardiovascular disease research, is a proud national sponsor of Go Red for Women.
