This February, South Central Regional Medical Center encourages you to learn more about #OurHearts. Be heart smart!

It’s important to know what your blood pressure and cholesterol numbers are.

High blood pressure is often known as a “silent killer”.

• Most of the time there are no obvious symptoms.
• Certain physical traits and lifestyle choices can put you at a greater risk for high blood pressure.
• When left untreated, the damage that high blood pressure does to your circulatory system is a significant contributing factor to heart attack, stroke and other health threats.

Why cholesterol matters?

Cholesterol is a waxy substance. It’s not inherently “bad.” Your body needs it to build cells and make vitamins and other hormones. But too much cholesterol can pose a problem. Cholesterol circulates in the blood. As the amount of cholesterol in your blood increases, so does the risk to your health. High cholesterol contributes to a higher risk of cardiovascular diseases, such as heart disease and stroke. That’s why it’s important to have your cholesterol tested, so you can know your levels.