Track Your Health Test Results

Page: 1 2 3 (of 3)	Previous | Next

The Benefits of Tracking Your Cardiac Numbers

Keeping track of key tests is not just the physician's responsibility. Knowing your health status can help you avoid health problems. Routinely documenting the results of cholesterol tests and blood pressure readings, whether on a computer spreadsheet, in a journal at home, or in our free test result tracker on the next page, can make the results more personal and manageable.

As you track, watch for trends that reveal either success with the current treatment plan or a need to change and improve. For some, seeing the numbers on a paper is reason enough to keep them motivated to continue their diet plan or exercise routine.

Many patients can do more to take charge of their health. The American Heart Association reports that:

• 48 percent of adults have elevated lipid levels.
• 45 million Americans continue to smoke, despite the fact that smokers have about double the risk of having a stroke compared with nonsmokers and two to four times the risk of developing coronary heart disease.

In addition to seeing your physician for routine monitoring, improving modifiable risk factors may be just as important. "Smoking is definitely the number-one modifiable risk factor," Scott Mikesell, D.O., says. "Diet and exercise are number two, but smoking is a huge factor that patients can control and they will begin to improve their health as soon as they quit."

Smoking status should be assessed at each physician visit. If you currently smoke and are interested in quitting, be sure to talk with your doctor or pharmacist about the various smoking cessation aids available.