b'Know Your NumbersPreventing cardiovascular disease starts with knowing your numbers. Since knowledge really is power when it comes to your heart, make sure you get the following tests on a regular basis, beginning at age 18.BLOOD PRESSURE.This noninvasive test uses a special cuff to measure the pressure in your arteries and is often done as part of a routine health checkup. A normal blood pressure level is less than 120/80. Adults 18 to 39 with normal blood pressure should be screened every three to five years. Adults 40 and over and those at increased risk of high blood pressure should be screened annually.BLOOD SUGAR.Consistently high blood sugar can damage your blood vessels. Healthy levels are between 70 and 100 mg/dL. If you are over age 45, you should be tested every three years. If youre overweight, diabetic, or have other cardiovascular risk factors, you may need to get tested at an earlier age and more often.C-REACTIVE PROTEIN.This test measures a marker of whole-body inflammation called c-reactive protein. Normal CRP levels are 0.81.0 mg/dL or lower. However, this biomarker does rise slightly with age. People over the age of 50 should have their CRP measured as part of their routine blood tests. LIPID PANEL.This blood test measures your total cholesterol, as well as your low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and high-density lipoprotein (HDL) levels. It also measures a type of fat in your blood called triglycerides. The American Heart Association recommends comprehensive cholesterol screening for adults every four to six years after the age of 20 and more frequently for patients over age 40 who are at an increased risk of heart disease.Depending on your results, your doctor may recommend additional tests. If youre at an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, your doctor may also want to conduct these tests more frequently.OXIDATION:Your body generates unstable molecules called free radicals in response to harmful environmental insults like air pollution, chemical contaminants, infection, obesity, and even stress. Ideally, antioxidants can counteract these free radicals. But when free radicals overwhelm antioxidants, harmful oxidation occurs. The resulting oxidative stress damages arteries and the heart itself. Studies have implicated ongoing oxidative stress in the development of atherosclerosis, as well as heart failure.These underlying conditions can set the stage for three of the most common forms of cardiovascular disease: coronary artery disease (damage to arteries caused by atherosclerosis), heart failure (the inability of the heart to pump sufficient oxygen and nutrients through the body), and stroke. GET HEART HEALTHY5'