Indicia
PO Box 70000
Van Nuys CA 91470
Find out the cholesterol and blood
pressure numbers that can help you
win a healthy heart.
Inside: Handy wallet card to help you keep track
of your own personal numbers.
Anthem Blue Cross is the trade name of Blue Cross of California. Independent licensee of the Blue
Cross Association. ® ANTHEM is a registered trademark of Anthem Insurance Companies, Inc. The Blue
Cross name and symbol are registered marks of the Blue Cross Association.
For matters of the heart, there’s
safety in these numbers.
Find out what your cholesterol
and blood pressure numbers
should be and why they’re vital to
your heart’s health.
12961CAMENABC 1/11
Why your numbers count.
Keeping your blood pressure and cholesterol numbers in the “safety zone” will help you lower your risk
of heart attack, stroke and other serious health problems. High blood pressure and high cholesterol
have no obvious symptoms to warn you of trouble. That’s why it’s so important to visit your doctor
regularly and know your numbers, what they mean and what you can do to improve them.
Know your cholesterol numbers.1
You’ve heard the word cholesterol, but what is it really? Cholesterol is a waxy substance produced by
the liver and found in certain foods. We actually need it in our bodies to make vitamin D, build cell
walls and help digest fats. But a too-high level of cholesterol in the blood is a major risk factor for
coronary heart disease, which leads to heart attack.
LDL and HDL cholesterol - a simple breakdown.
LDL is Low-density Lipoprotein (The bad stuff). LDL is the major cholesterol carrier in the blood.
If you have too much, it can slowly build up in the walls of the arteries and can clog the arteries.
This is what leads to heart disease.
Your LDL number should be lower than 100. So when you see the L think: “Keep it low.”
HDL is High-density Lipoprotein (The good stuff). HDL carries cholesterol from other parts of your
body back to your liver so the liver can remove the cholesterol from your body. The higher your
HDL cholesterol level, the lower your chance of getting heart disease.
Your HDL number should be above 60. So when you see the H think: “Keep it high.”
Did you know your blood pressure and cholesterol numbers are related? Too much
cholesterol can block your blood vessels, which can raise your blood pressure.
You can start getting
your numbers back
on track right now!
Know your blood pressure numbers.2
Blood pressure is the force of blood pushing against the walls of
your arteries. It’s recorded as two numbers — the systolic pressure
(highest pressure when your heart beats) over the diastolic pressure
(lowest pressure, when your heart is at rest between beats).
120
80
Here’s how:3,4
• Eat five servings of fruits and
vegetables a day
• Eat whole-grain breads
The two numbers are
written as 120/80 and
spoken as “120 over 80.”
Normal blood pressure
should be equal to or
less than 120/80.
The systolic pressure
The diastolic pressure
• Reduce salt and limit caffeine
• Eat low-fat foods
• Quit smoking
What happens if blood pressure is high?
• Exercise at least 20 minutes every day
If uncontrolled, high blood pressure increases your risk of serious
health problems, including heart attack and stroke. You can have
high blood pressure for years without a single symptom. This
is why it’s so important to have your doctor check your blood
pressure at least once a year.
Be a numbers cruncher!
Did you know that doing the things
that make you happy can help reduce
your risk of heart attack?6
Contact your doctor and talk about your numbers, today. Ask your
doctor about your cholesterol and blood pressure numbers — what
they are, what they should be and how often you need to have them
checked. If your numbers aren’t in a healthy range, your doctor may
suggest several strategies to get your numbers where they need to be.
These may include changes to your diet, increasing physical activity
and possibly prescribing medication.
In a recent study, researchers found that
people who are upbeat, happy and content
are less likely to develop heart disease. While
that’s a good thing, if you haven’t been feeling
up to par lately, it might be the right time to
do a quick check on your emotional health.
Start by asking yourself these two questions:
Your medicine matters.5
Your doctor needs to know exactly what medications you’re taking,
including all over-the-counter medications, vitamins and herbs. Be
sure to take all medications exactly as they’re prescribed and finish
all medications that your doctor prescribes. Use the card we’ve
provided here to keep a record of your current medications and bring
it to your next doctor visit.
• During the past month, have you been
feeling down, depressed or hopeless?
• Have you had little interest or pleasure
in doing things?
If you answered yes to either of these
questions, you may be experiencing
depression. Depression affects millions of
Americans of all ages. The good news is that
millions of Americans are also getting help.
Talk to your doctor about what treatment
options are available to get you back to
feeling like your old self, soon.
Want to keep getting our healthy reminders?
We hope you enjoy the health reminders we send you to help
you manage your health care. If you would like to stop getting
them, simply call 888-744-6647 and leave a message stating
that you do not wish to receive these health reminders.
Sources:
1 American Heart Association, Cholesterol (2010): www.americanheart.org
2 Mayo Clinic, Blood Pressure (2010): www.mayoclinic.com
3 National Institutes of Health National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, Your Guide to Lowering Blood Pressure (2010): www.nhlbi.nih.gov
4 WebMD, Heart Disease Health Center (2010): www.webmd.com
5 American Heart Association, Prescription Treatments (2010): www.americanheart.org
6 National Library of Medicine and the National Institutes of Health, Medline Plus, Trusted Health Information for you, Happiness Protects
Your Heart (2010): www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus
Use this card to track your numbers.
Date:
Date:
Date:
Date:
Date:
Date:
Date:
Date:
Date:
Date:
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* U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health, National Heart Lung and Blood Institute, National Cholesterol Education Program
Date:
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Total Cholesterol
Date:
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Less than 200
Below 100
/
Date:
LDL (Bad)
/
Date:
60 or more
/
Date:
HDL (Good)
/
Date:
Healthy # 
Date:
Date:
Date:
/
Date:
National guidelines suggest cholesterol testing for adults
20 years and older. These guidelines apply to most adults.*
/
Date:
My cholesterol
/
Date:
Discontinued?
/
Date:
Prescription and over-the-counter
/
Date:
Anthem Blue Cross is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association.
My medicine
/
Date:
Less than 80
Less than 120
Healthy # 
Diastolic
Systolic
My blood pressure
Tear off the card on dotted line (fold it along the pink lines, and then once more in half, it’ll fit in your wallet) and take it with you each
time you visit the doctor. Ask your doctor what your cholesterol and blood pressure numbers are and write them down along with a
list of all your medications.