You might know some fairly obscure facts about your favorite sports or even the inner workings of your computer. But do you know some of the more important numbers and dates about your body? Critical stats include: PSA level Cholesterol: Total, HDL and LDL levels Triglyceride levels Blood pressure reading

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The PSA blood test is usually done to check for prostate problems. If the result is high, your doctor might order a biopsy or proscribe an anti-inflammatory drug.However, you might postpone the biopsy and the drug, and take another PSA test no earlier than a month or six weeks later.

Why? Because PSA tests can sometimes produce false positives, and because PSA levels can fluctuate both up and down in a six-week period.

In one study, half of the men who had high PSA levels at first had normal results in a second test. Even afer a second test showed high PSA levels, a biopsy was positive for cancer in only one in four of the men. For these reasons, this is a controversial test.

The American Urological Association, the American Cancer Society, and the American College of Physicians recommend that doctors discuss PSA and other screening tests each year with men older than age 50, high-risk men, black men, or those with a family history of prostate cancer, should talk to their doctor at age 40.


Lipoproteins are the packages that carry cholesterol through the blood. It is important to know your LDL and HDL levels in addition to your total cholesterol level.

• Total cholesterol level - a level of less than 200 mg/dL is desirable. But even levels of 200-239 mg/dL (borderline high) can increase your risk of heart disease.
  
  
• Low density lipoprotein (LDL) - "bad cholesterol" - has been proven to reduce heart disease risk. A level of 160 mg/dl or above is high. Your doctor can help set a realistic goal for your LDL.
  
  
• High density lipoprotein (HDL) - the "good cholesterol." You want the numbers to be high for HDL (60 mg/dl or more is good and lowers your risk for heart disease).
  
  

Triglyceride levels - can also raise your risk for heart disease. Levels that are borderline high (150-199 mg/dL) or high (200 mg/dL or more) may need treatment in some people.


A blood pressure reading below 120/80 is considered normal. "Prehypertension" is blood pressure between 120 and 139 for the top number, or between 80 and 89 for the bottom number.

So, blood pressure readings of 138/82, 128/89, or 130/86 are all in the "prehypertension" range. If your blood pressure is in the prehypertension range, it is more likely that you will end up with high blood pressure unless you take action to prevent it.