5 important numbers for heart health

Published: 5 June 2026

Here are 5 numbers that can help you look after your heart. Understanding them helps you spot risks early and take simple steps to protect your heart and stay healthy.

When it comes to your heart, prevention is better than cure. Knowing a few simple numbers can help you spot problems early and take action before they start. Here are 5 key numbers that can help you protect your heart health. 

1. Your blood pressure

High blood pressure is one of the leading causes of heart attacks and stroke in this country, affecting around one million New Zealanders.  

In most cases, high blood pressure has no symptoms, so many people don’t know they have it. 

The good news? If you are told you have high blood pressure, medication and lifestyle changes can lower it.  

In fact, lowering your top blood pressure number by just 10 points can cut your risk of heart attack and stroke by about 20% over 5 years.  

You can get your blood pressure checked at many local pharmacies or by your nurse or doctor. You can also buy a home monitor to check your blood pressure at home.  

More about blood pressure 

2. Your cholesterol

High cholesterol is when you have a build up of too many ‘bad fats’ in your blood. 

Like high blood pressure, it is a major risk factor for heart disease and usually has no symptoms. A blood test is the only way to check your cholesterol levels. 

If you haven’t had a cholesterol test before, talk to your doctor or nurse about when you should have one. Generally, people aged 45 and above should have their cholesterol checked regularly.  

Most people are referred by their GP or nurse to a blood testing centre or laboratory, although some medical centres offer it. 

Some pharmacies offer a finger-prick test. If the reading is high, you’ll need a follow-up appointment with your doctor or nurse. 

If you’re diagnosed with high cholesterol, taking medication prescribed by your doctor, and making lifestyle changes will help lower your levels and reduce your heart disease risk. 

More about cholesterol 

3. Your pulse

When your heart beats it pushes blood around your body. This heartbeat can be felt as your 'pulse' on your wrist. 

A normal pulse beats in a steady rhythm of around 60-100 beats per minute, although athletes or people who are very fit may have lower resting heart rates. 

If your heart doesn’t beat in a steady rhythm, or it beats too fast or too slow, it’s important to get it checked with your doctor or nurse. Sometimes it’s a sign of a heart condition. 

Checking your pulse is simple and is something you can do regularly at home. 

Learn to take your pulse 

4. Your waist size

Your waist size is the measurement around your tummy and is usually recorded in centimetres (or inches). It isn’t the same as the measurement you use when shopping for jeans or pants. 

Your waist measurement shows how much internal fat sits around your heart, kidneys, liver, and other organs. This type of fat increases your risk of heart disease and stroke. Carrying extra weight around your middle is a key risk factor.  

The good news? You can change it through healthy eating and staying active. 

More about waist measurement 

5. The age you need a heart risk check

A heart risk check estimates how likely you are to have a heart attack or stroke in the next five years.  

It’s done by your doctor or nurse and may happen at an appointment, or they may estimate this without you there.  

The age you should start heart risk checks, and how often you need them, depends on your ethnicity, your personal and family health history, and other risk factors like smoking. 

Find out when you’re due for yours and more about what’s involved by clicking the link below. 

Heart risk checks 

Knowing these 5 numbers puts you in control of your heart health.  

Simple lifestyle choices can make a big difference for you and your whānau. 

The steps you take today can protect your heart for years to come.  

Reduce your risk