What Are Normal Ranges for Heart-Related Bloodwork?

As seen in the February 2021 Issue of Advancing Care.
Adobe Stock photo

“Heart health is impacted by three major metrics that should be monitored,” says Neil Schluger, MD, Director of Medicine at Westchester Medical Center, the flagship of WMCHealth. “These include diabetes, cholesterol and high blood pressure.”

“Diabetes is a major risk factor for heart and kidney diseases,” says Dr. Schluger. “After fasting, a blood sugar level of 99 mg/dL or lower is normal, 100 to 125 mg/dL indicates you have prediabetes, and 126 mg/dL or higher indicates you may have diabetes.”

Total cholesterol should be less than 200 mg/dL, while triglycerides should be less than 150 mg/DL, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

“High blood pressure is the leading risk factor for heart disease,” adds Dr. Schluger. “Any reading over 130/80 is considered higher than normal.”
Dr. Schluger recommends ongoing monitoring of these metrics, in consultation with your primary care physician and cardiologist. “The good news is that these conditions are extremely treatable, via medically safe, inexpensive and widely available medications.”

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