Clinical standards are established on Evidence-Based Medicine Guidelines. The most recent clinical research and findings are continuously being studied and updated as new information is discovered. It is therefore important to regularly identify and incorporate any new recommended standards into what is considered a “healthy biometric range.”
Over the past several years there have been three major changes that impact healthy biometric ranges:
- Experts recommend moving away from specific cholesterol, LDL and HDL “targets.” Instead, we will now put emphasis on LDL:HDL ratios specific to men and women. Women typically have higher HDL (good cholesterol) than men, and the average age for a woman to experience a heart attack for the first time is 7 years later than it is for a man. Therefore, there are different healthy ranges for men versus women for these ratios. This allows us to best inform an individual of their health risk.
- Current research shows central obesity (excessive weight carried in the midsection) is more important than most easily calculable metrics in identifying people at risk for the Metabolic Syndrome. While we will continue to report BMI measurements, ADURO will focus our biometric testing on waist circumference. Again, the clinical guidelines state there are different standard healthy ranges for men and women.
- Normal (healthy) Blood Pressure ranges changed significantly based on 2017 ACC/AHA high blood pressure guidelines. This new guideline reclassifies grades of hypertension for the first time, which includes classifying elevated blood pressure when systolic blood pressure is 120-129 mmHg with a diastolic blood pressure of <80 mmHg. This change is estimated to increase the total number of American adults classified as having elevated blood pressure to about 46%. However, non-drug treatment management is recommended for most of these adults with newly classified elevated high blood pressure. This is an opportunity for people to make lifestyle changes earlier to avoid future risk for hypertension.
Based upon these guideline changes, ADURO has made changes to its Healthy Biometric Ranges.