You can feel completely healthy and still have cardiovascular risk factors developing beneath the surface.
Your blood pressure can be elevated without you feeling it. Your cholesterol can be higher than ideal without causing any obvious symptoms. Blood glucose can gradually increase without making you feel unwell.
This is why cardiovascular health isn't simply about how you feel today. It's about knowing your numbers, understanding your individual risk and taking action early.
In Australia, regular cardiovascular risk assessment is an important part of preventive healthcare. A Heart Health Check considers factors including blood pressure, cholesterol, blood glucose, lifestyle and family history to help assess your risk of experiencing a cardiovascular event in the future.
Understanding these numbers gives you and your healthcare professional valuable information about what's happening beneath the surface.
Why Cardiovascular Health Matters
Your cardiovascular system includes your heart and blood vessels. Its job is fundamental: delivering oxygen and nutrients throughout your body while helping remove waste products.
Cardiovascular disease can develop through a complex combination of factors.
Some risk factors can be modified, including smoking, physical inactivity and certain dietary habits. Others, such as age and family history, cannot.
The important thing is that many cardiovascular risk factors can be identified through routine health checks, often before they cause noticeable symptoms.
The first step is knowing what they are.
5 Cardiovascular Health Numbers Worth Knowing
1. Blood Pressure
Blood pressure is one of the most important cardiovascular health numbers to know.
It measures the pressure of blood against the walls of your arteries as your heart pumps.
The challenge is that you generally can't feel high blood pressure. You can have an elevated reading and feel completely normal, which is why regular checks are important.
A blood pressure reading contains two numbers:
Systolic blood pressure is the pressure in your arteries when your heart contracts.
Diastolic blood pressure is the pressure in your arteries when your heart relaxes between beats.
Rather than trying to interpret a single reading yourself, speak with your healthcare professional. Your individual cardiovascular risk and health history can influence how your results should be assessed.
2. Cholesterol and Triglycerides
Cholesterol isn't inherently "bad".
Your body needs cholesterol for important functions, including producing hormones and supporting normal cell function.
What matters for cardiovascular health is the amount and balance of different lipids circulating in your blood.
A lipid profile may measure:
- Total cholesterol
- LDL cholesterol
- HDL cholesterol
- Triglycerides
These numbers shouldn't necessarily be considered in isolation.
Your doctor can interpret your lipid profile alongside factors such as your blood pressure, age, smoking status, family history and other cardiovascular risk factors.
Importantly, high cholesterol usually doesn't cause obvious symptoms.
You may feel perfectly healthy while your cholesterol is elevated.
That's why testing matters.
3. Blood Glucose and HbA1c
Blood glucose is another important number to understand.
Glucose provides energy to your cells, and your body carefully regulates the amount circulating in your bloodstream.
Persistently elevated blood glucose is associated with increased cardiovascular risk and may occur alongside metabolic conditions such as type 2 diabetes.
An HbA1c test provides an indication of your average blood glucose levels over approximately the previous two to three months.
Your doctor can advise whether checking your blood glucose or HbA1c is appropriate based on your age, health history and individual risk factors.
4. Waist Circumference and Weight
The number on the scales isn't the whole story.
Body weight can provide useful information, but where body fat is stored can also be relevant to metabolic and cardiovascular health.
Waist circumference is one measurement healthcare professionals may consider alongside other markers.
Rather than focusing on weight alone, looking at factors such as waist circumference, physical activity, blood pressure, blood glucose and blood lipids can provide a more complete picture of overall health.
5. Your Family History
Not every cardiovascular risk factor is within your control.
Age and family history can influence cardiovascular risk, which is why it's important to tell your doctor about cardiovascular disease in your immediate family.
This may include a family history of:
- Heart attack
- Stroke
- High blood pressure
- High cholesterol
- Other cardiovascular conditions
You can't change your genetics.
But knowing your family history can help you and your healthcare professional make more informed decisions about monitoring and preventive care.
Don't Wait for Symptoms
One of the biggest misconceptions about cardiovascular health is:
"If I feel fine, my heart must be fine."
Unfortunately, that's not necessarily true.
High blood pressure and high cholesterol are examples of cardiovascular risk factors that can exist without obvious symptoms.
This is why preventive healthcare starts with measurement.
Think of your health numbers as information that helps build a picture of your cardiovascular health.
Know them. Track them. Understand what they mean for you.
How Can You Support Cardiovascular Health?
There is no single food, exercise or lifestyle change that replaces a comprehensive approach to cardiovascular health.
Instead, focus on the foundations.
Move Your Body
Regular physical activity supports cardiovascular health and overall wellbeing.
Walking, cycling, swimming, resistance training and other forms of movement can all contribute.
The most sustainable approach is usually to find activities you enjoy enough to do consistently.
Eat for Your Heart
Focus on a varied diet rich in:
- Vegetables
- Fruit
- Wholegrains
- Legumes
- Nuts
- Seeds
- Other minimally processed foods
It's also important to be mindful of saturated fat, added sugars and salt as part of your overall dietary pattern.
Don't Smoke
Smoking is a major modifiable cardiovascular risk factor.
If you smoke, quitting is one of the most important steps you can take for your cardiovascular and overall health.
Speak with your healthcare professional if you need support with quitting.
Maintain a Healthy Weight
Body weight is only one aspect of cardiovascular health, but maintaining a healthy weight can form part of an overall approach to reducing cardiovascular risk.
If you're above your healthy weight range, sustainable changes to nutrition, physical activity and other lifestyle habits may contribute to improved overall health.
Prioritise Sleep
Sleep is an important part of overall health and wellbeing and shouldn't be overlooked when thinking about cardiovascular health.
Aim to maintain a consistent sleep routine and speak with your healthcare professional if you're experiencing ongoing sleep problems.
Manage Stress
Stress is a normal part of life, but chronic stress can influence sleep, eating behaviours, physical activity and other factors that affect overall health.
Regular exercise, relaxation techniques, spending time outdoors and maintaining social connections are some ways to support stress management.
Manage Your Numbers
Knowing your numbers is only useful if you understand what they mean.
If your healthcare professional identifies elevated blood pressure, cholesterol or blood glucose, take the opportunity to discuss what happens next.
Depending on your individual circumstances, management may involve lifestyle changes, ongoing monitoring or medication.
Your Cardiovascular Health Checklist
If you want to be proactive about your cardiovascular health, consider asking your doctor:
✓ What is my blood pressure?
✓ What are my cholesterol and triglyceride levels?
✓ Should I have my blood glucose or HbA1c checked?
✓ Is my waist circumference relevant to my cardiovascular risk?
✓ Does my family history affect my risk?
✓ What is my overall cardiovascular disease risk?
✓ When should I have my next cardiovascular health assessment?
In Australia, eligibility and timing for cardiovascular risk assessment can depend on factors including age, diabetes status and Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander status. Your doctor can advise when a formal cardiovascular risk assessment or Heart Health Check is appropriate for you.
The Bottom Line
Your cardiovascular health isn't something you should only think about when something feels wrong.
Some of the most important cardiovascular risk factors can develop without obvious symptoms.
That's why knowing your numbers matters.
Know your blood pressure.
Know your cholesterol.
Know your blood glucose.
Know your family history.
Know your cardiovascular risk.
Then use that information with your healthcare professional to make informed decisions about your lifestyle, monitoring and medical care.
Feeling healthy today is valuable. Understanding your cardiovascular health gives you the information you need to make informed choices for tomorrow.
References
-
Heart Foundation Australia. Heart Health Checks.
-
Heart Foundation Australia. Keeping Your Heart Healthy.
-
Heart Foundation Australia. High Blood Pressure.
-
Heart Foundation Australia. Manage High Blood Cholesterol Levels.
-
Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care. Australian Guideline for Assessing and Managing Cardiovascular Disease Risk. 2023.
-
World Health Organization. Cardiovascular Diseases.
-
World Health Organization. Hypertension.
-
Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. Heart, Stroke and Vascular Disease.
