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by Stacey Colino
This has led to the identification of what’s called pre-hypertension, pre-diabetes and borderline high cholesterol. Yet because these conditions don’t cause symptoms, many people are unaware of the danger these “pre-diseases” pose to their health. Nevertheless, millions of adults in the United States now meet the criteria for at least one pre-disease: 45 to 50 million adults are considered to have pre-diabetes and pre-hypertension and 100 million have high blood cholesterol. Many have more than one of these conditions.
Here are the latest guidelines for the three common pre-diseases that contribute to heart disease:
Pre-hypertension: If your systolic (upper) blood pressure reading is between 120 and 139 or your diastolic (lower) number is between 80 and 89, you have pre-hypertension, according to the American Heart Association. (True hypertension is considered 140/90 or higher.) Pre-hypertension increases your risk of developing full-blown hypertension, heart disease and possibly kidney disease over time. A study at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, in Newark, found that people with pre-hypertension are 3.5 times more likely to have a heart attack than those with normal blood pressure.
Pre-diabetes: If your fasting blood glucose is between 100 and 125 mg/dL, you have pre-diabetes, which affects an estimated 54 million adults in the U.S., according to the American Diabetes Association. (A fasting blood-glucose read of 126 mg/dL or higher defines type 2 diabetes, in which the body does not produce enough insulin or fails to use it properly.) Besides increasing your risk of developing diabetes, pre-diabetes increases your risk of developing heart disease and atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries).
Borderline high cholesterol: If your total cholesterol is between 200 and 239 mg/dL, you’re in the danger zone for developing full-blown high cholesterol (defined as 240 mg/dL or above). Similarly, if your LDL (the “bad” artery-clogging cholesterol) is between 130 and 159 mg/dL, it’s considered borderline high; the optimal LDL is less than 100 mg/dL. High cholesterol is a major risk factor for heart disease; approximately 107 million people in the U.S. have total cholesterol of 200 mg/dL or higher, at which point heart disease risk starts to rise.
Fortunately, the same lifestyle adjustments can help protect you against all three conditions—and thereby lower your risk of heart disease. Sticking with a heart-healthy diet (low in sodium, saturated fats and trans fats, and high invegetables, fruits, whole grains and low-fat or nonfat dairy products), exercising regularly and losing excess weight can help you lower your blood pressure, blood sugar and cholesterol levels.
A Diabetes Prevention Program study, coordinated by the Biostatistics Center of George Washington University, in Rockville, MD, found that overweight people with pre-diabetes who exercised for at least 150 minutes per week and lost 7 percent of their body weight lowered their risk of developing diabetes by 58 percent. If lifestyle changes alone don’t improve your blood pressure, blood sugar or cholesterol sufficiently, medication may be warranted. Speak to your health-care provider for more information and suggestions.
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