Body Measurement—Just step on the scale, have your weight and height measured and your doctor already knows a lot about your physical condition. Using these numbers to calculate your body mass index (BMI), your doctor will know if you are overweight, an indicator of increased risk for many health problems, such as type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure. This simple tool clues your doctor in to look more closely for these other problems. The American Heart Association (AHA) recommends that you have a body measurement every two years after the age of 20.
Blood Pressure—That inflatable cuff placed around your upper arm tells your doctor how much pressure your heart is generating when it is actively pumping, called the systolic pressure (the "top" number), and when your heart is at rest, called the diastolic pressure (the "bottom" number). A blood pressure between the range of 90/60 and 140/90 is considered normal by the AHA. Since high blood pressure is becoming increasingly common in men and puts you at risk for heart attack, stroke, kidney damage and other problems, it should be measured at least every two years.
Cholesterol Test—While a routine blood test may check for various blood components, the cholesterol count is one of the most important. After drawing a vial of blood, a lab will determine the amount of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, triglycerides and total cholesterol. High cholesterol, specifically LDL cholesterol, is a direct cause of heart disease, the number-one killer of American men. The AHA considers a total cholesterol count over 200 to be borderline-high and a risk marker for heart disease. High risk for heart disease is considered to be when cholesterol counts rise over 240. However, there has been some recent consideration to make these target numbers even lower.
