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Office of Work-Life Programs -
Clinical Screenings
Who is Eligible for this Program?
Clinical
screening is available to the following members
of Team Coast Guard:
- Active Duty, Reservists and Auxiliarists
- Dependents of Active Duty
- Civilian Employees of the Coast Guard
Purpose of Program
Clinical screenings such as blood pressure and
body fat screenings are intended to identify individuals with elevated
readings and make appropriate referrals to sources of medical care. The
risk of heart disease and other related illness rises as
blood pressure and body fat increase. When other risk factors such as
cigarette smoking and inactivity are present, the risk grows even more.
These screenings provided by the Health Promotion Program are not intended
to replace regular examinations by a health care provider and should only
be used to gain information to share that may be important to share with
your physician.
Definitions
The following definitions apply to Cholesterol Screening:
- AHA: American Heart Association
- HPMs: Health Promotion Managers
- PMP: Primary Medical Provider
- HDL: Hi Density Lipoproteins
- LDL: Low Density Lipoproteins
Screening Information:
| Blood Pressure |
High blood pressure is often called the “silent killer” because it typically
does not produce any symptoms but can be deadly if left untreated. Blood
Pressure screenings take only a few minutes and can provide valuable
information to the participant about their current cardiac risk. After the screening, Health Promotion Managers can provide information to the participant to assist them in lowering their blood pressure levels. Individuals who are screened at “high risk” for coronary artery disease will be referred to their health care provider for further evaluation. |
| Body Fat Analysis | People seeking to achieve a healthy body composition should not rely on scale weight alone as a measure of success. Body fat, or the percentage of fat versus lean body tissue, is a better indicator of a person’s overall health. Body fat screenings can be done by a Health Promotion Manager in just a few minutes by using a skin fold caliper or a bioelectrical impedance device. Members should be dressed in exercise attire to have this screening done. |
Requesting Services or Resources
These services or resources can be obtained by contacting the
Health Promotion Manager on your
Regional Work-Life Staff. Work-Life Staffs are located at Integrated
Support Commands CG-wide and at the Headquarters Support Command.
Blood Pressure Guidelines and
Recommendations
When you have your blood pressure taken, what do the numbers mean? The
higher number, or systolic pressure, represents the pressure exerted
when the heart is beating. The lower number, or diastolic pressure,
represents the pressure exerted when the heart is at rest between beats.
For example, a blood pressure reading of 120 over 80 (120/80) would mean
that your systolic pressure is 122 mm Hg and your diastolic pressure is
80 mm Hg. (Blood pressure is measured in millimeters of mercury, or mm
Hg).
| Blood Pressure Category |
Systolic mm Hg (upper #) |
Diastolic mm Hg (lower #) |
|
|---|---|---|---|
| Normal | less than 120 | and | less than 80 |
| Prehypertension | 120-139 | or | 80-89 |
| High Blood Pressure (Hypertension) Stage 1 | 140-159 | or | 90-99 |
| High Blood Pressure (Hypertension) Stage 2 | 160 or higher | or | 100 or higher |
|
Hypertensive Crisis (Emergency care needed) |
higher than 180 | or | higher than 110 |
Treating high blood pressure may include a low-fat, low-salt diet, losing weight, quitting smoking, reducing alcohol intake and getting more exercise. In addition, medications can be used to reduce and control your blood pressure.
Body Fat Guidelines and Recommendations
A certain amount of body fat is required for normal body functioning. Fat
regulates body temperature, stores energy and insulates organs and tissues.
However, excess body fat can inhibit these functions and cause an increase
in cardiac risk. The following table describes the different ranges for body
fat:
| Classification | Women (% fat) | Men (% fat) |
|---|---|---|
| Essential Fat | 10-12% | 2-4% |
| Athletes | 14-20% | 6-13% |
| Fitness | 21-24% | 14-17% |
| Acceptable | 25-31% | 18-25% |
| Obese | 32% plus | 25% plus |
Understanding your current body fat percentage can help to determine
whether an individual’s weight loss goals are realistic. Decreasing body fat
is best achieved by increasing activity, especially resistance training and
decreasing intake of high fat foods.
Important: Body Fat screenings provided by the Health
Promotion Program will NOT be substituted for an active duty member’s
required bi-annual weight screening.
Related Web Sites
The following web sites provide information related to
high blood cholesterol:
- American Heart Association - http://www.americanheart.org/. Fight against heart disease and stroke, America's leading causes of death.
- Cholesterol Definition (Wikipedia) - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cholesterol
- Cholesterol and Your Body - http://www.heartpoint.com/cholgallery.html. Animation of how cholesterol is deposited in the blood vessel walls.
- Heart Point Gallery - http://www.heartpoint.com/cholesterolmain.html. Links to various cholesterol sites.
Point of Contact
If you are unable to contact the Health Promotions Manager on your
Regional Work-Life Staff, or need additional
assistance beyond the information provided here, please contact the
Headquarters Health Promotions Program Manager, Tim Merrell at (202)
475-5146, or e-mail at
Timothy.M.Merrell@uscg.mil.
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