Depending on your age, gender and health status, your doctor may do simple medical measurements during your office visit. These measurements can include your body temperature, blood pressure, heart and respiratory rate. The doctor may also order laboratory tests such as blood counts and cholesterol levels. By using several different sources of information, he or she is able to look at a complete picture of your health. You have the right — and the responsibility — to receive the results of your measurements and your laboratory tests.  Understanding your “numbers” and working in partnership with your doctor are the best ways to take an active role in managing your own health care.  

Here are some common medical measurements and tests, along with information to help you understand their purpose and your particular results.

Blood pressure is a measure of the force of blood inside an artery.  Your doctor may say that your blood pressure is “120 over 70.” This is because there are two measures being taken. The first measure is often referred to as the top number and the second measure as the bottom number. 

Common Terms associated with Blood Pressure:

• Systolic pressure (“top number”) is the highest pressure in an artery when your heart is pumping blood to your body.
  
  
• Diastolic pressure (“bottom number”) is the lowest pressure in an artery when your heart is at rest.
  
  
• A blood pressure measurement is made up of both the systolic and the diastolic pressure. It is normally written like this: 120/70, with the systolic number first.
  
  
• Brachial artery is the artery used for measuring blood pressure. This blood vessel runs from your shoulder to just below your elbow.
  
  
• Hypertension means high blood pressure. A “hypertensive” blood pressure value indicates hypertension.  High blood pressure is dangerous because it makes the heart work too hard. It also makes the walls of the arteries hard and increases the risk for heart disease, stroke and kidney disease.
  
  
• Prehypertension means you are in the beginning stages of hypertension. A “prehypertensive” blood pressure value means a person is at risk for high blood pressure.
  
  
• Hypotension means low blood pressure. People with low blood pressure (“hypotensive”) can feel weak or dizzy, especially when going very quickly from a sitting or lying position to a standing position. 

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Your Body Mass Index (BMI) measurement is an estimate of body fat based on height and weight. Your health is affected not only by how much body fat you have, but also by where most of the fat is located on your body. Some people tend to gain weight mostly in their hips and buttocks (often referred to as a pear-shaped body), while others tend to gain weight mostly in the abdomen (apple-shaped body). If you have an apple-shaped body rather than a pear-shaped body, you are at an increased risk for the health problems associated with obesity; such as diabetes, coronary heart disease and high blood pressure. 

BMI measurements can be misleading if someone is muscular or has a lot of muscle mass; but generally, the higher the BMI, the greater the risk for some diseases, including: 

• Hypertension
• Coronary artery disease
• Stroke
• Type 2 diabetes
• Osteoarthritis
• Some cancers 

BMI is computed by taking your weight in pounds, and dividing it by the square of your height in inches. You can quickly and easily calculate your own BMI by using the BMI calculator provided by Mayo Clinic.   

Another way to measure body fat is the “waist-to-hip ratio.” This is an important measurement that helps you determine your overall health risk and is thought to be a better indicator of health risk than the BMI measurement. People with more weight around their waist are at greater risk for lifestyle-related diseases such as heart disease and diabetes than those with weight around their hips. To calculate the ratio:

Use a nonstretchable tape. When measuring with the tape, make sure it is level around the body and parallel to the floor; then tighten it without depressing the skin. Measure the waist at its narrowest point width-wise, usually just above the belly button. Measure the hips around the widest part of the hip bones. Then divide the waist measurement by the hip measurement.

Hemoglobin A1C (HgbA1C) is a test that your doctor should perform regularly if you have been diagnosed with diabetes. It is typically ordered every three to four months and, because it is not affected by very recent changes in diet, exercise or medications, it helps the doctor understand how well controlled your diabetes is. Generally, the target measurement for HgbA1C is 7.0 or less; but check with your doctor, as he or she will most likely identify a target tailored to your individual health situation. 

Common Terms associated with Cholesterol and Triglycerides:

• Total cholesterol is the total amount of cholesterol in the blood. The measurement can be broken out into two different types of cholesterol: high-density lipids (HDL) and low-density lipids (LDL).
  
  
• High-density lipids (HDL) are known as the good or healthy (think H for healthy) type of cholesterol because it protects the heart. The good cholesterol actually plays a part in reversing cholesterol transport, taking cholesterol out of the plaque in the artery and returning it to the circulation, to the liver, to be excreted.
  
  
• Low-density lipids (LDL) are known as the bad or lousy (remember L for lousy) type of cholesterol. The higher the number, the higher the risk for developing heart disease and stroke. LDL can accumulate in the arteries and form plaque.
  
  
• Triglycerides are the body's storage form for fat. Most triglycerides are found in adipose (fat) tissue. Some triglycerides circulate in the blood to provide fuel for muscles to work. Extra triglycerides are found in the blood after eating a meal when fat is being sent from the stomach to adipose tissue for storage.