A sure way to lower your chance of developing cardiovascular disease is to know your health risks and manage them.

If you are not sure if you are at a higher risk, your primary care provider can perform or schedule screening tests. Some people worry about primary care visits and health screenings for fear of bad news, but being in the know gives you the opportunity to make positive changes before something serious happens.

Blood pressure

Blood pressure is one of the most important screenings because high blood pressure usually has no symptoms, so it can be hard to detect without being measured. High blood pressure increases your risk of heart disease and stroke, but it can be controlled through lifestyle changes and medication. Your doctor will check your blood pressure at every primary care visit.

Cholesterol (fasting lipoprotein profile)

Starting at age 20, you may have a fasting lipoprotein profile taken every four to six years. This test measures total cholesterol, LDL (bad) cholesterol and HDL (good) cholesterol. You will likely have the test more often if your doctor determines you are at high risk for stroke or heart disease.

Body weight

Being obese puts you at higher risk for heart problems such as heart disease, congestive heart failure and atrial fibrillation. Your provider may also calculate your body mass index to find out if you’re at a healthy body weight and composition.

Blood glucose

If you are overweight and have at least one other cardiovascular risk factor, your provider may recommend a blood glucose test. This is because high blood sugar levels put you at a greater risk for developing prediabetes and type 2 diabetes. If left untreated, diabetes can lead to a host of medical problems including stroke and heart disease.

No specialist needed

These screenings, especially weight and blood pressure, can be performed in the office of your primary care provider. Some PCP offices also can get samples in the office for cholesterol and blood glucose or give you an order for a local lab. If you need a PCP, you can visit TMCOne.