Know your numbers!!

As we get busier and busier, we have more and more to keep up with in life. Of course, some things are more important than others, but in terms of your general health, there are certain "numbers" that are very important. Some of these you are probably already aware; some may not be as familiar. Consider the following list and if you don't know your number, maybe you should check-in with your doctor to get up to date.

Blood pressure...Hypertension carries and potentiates many health risks. You should have your blood pressure checked each time you visit your doctor. As well, you should occasionally check your blood pressure at the pharmacy or other facility that has testing available. If you have a blood pressure greater than 120/80, you need to get it seen about. If you already know you have blood pressure problems, you need to monitor your blood pressure to make sure it is generally under 140/90.

Blood sugar...You should probably have a blood sugar check at least once a year unless you know you have diabetes mellitus. If that level is elevated, then more extensive testing can be done to see if you are diabetic or at risk for diabetes. If you are fasting, the blood sugar should be under 120; if you have eaten, the blood sugar should be less than 200.

Cholesterol..This one is fairly commonplace now as everyone is aware of the risk of heart disease and blood vessel disease associated with elevated cholesterol levels. More important than the total cholesterol level itself is the levels of the subunits of cholesterol. A fasting lipid panel should be checked once a year to make sure that all is well in this area. If you know you have problems with cholesterol, your physician will probably want to check it more often. With some cholesterol lowering medications, it is important to keep an eye on the liver numbers as well.

Creatinine...This one may not be well known but is important as well. This is a marker for kidney function. Even small changes from normal in the creatinine level can signal fairly significant changes in kidney function. A normal value is around 1 for most people and an increase from 1 to 2 can mean a decrease of up to 50% in renal function. As the numbers go higher, the renal function is further decreased but not by as big a factor. For example, from 1 to 2 is a 50% decrease in renal function; from 2-4 represents another 50 % decrease in function so the function is down to 25%. The next representation would be from 4 to about 7 or 8 at which level the function would be down to about 10-12%. Based on the way the changes occur, it is very important to catch the change in renal function early. The best chance to fix the kidney problem or at least significantly alter the worsening course is to catch the problem early. Once the creatinine level reaches 4 or greater, the chance for developing complete renal failure over the course of time is fairly high.

If you have not had these values checked recently, please check with your doctor in these regards. If you wish, come by the clinic and we will be happy to get you in touch with your numbers. We can also test for other diseases that you may be concerned about as well. If you wish further information or wish to get these tests performed, call today for an appointment. Walk-ins are always welcome as well.