Chronic Disease Management

Once chronic diseases develop, they recur and can last a lifetime. They can’t be cured with current medical options, and they cause serious health problems if they’re not properly managed. The most common chronic diseases include:

• heart disease
• asthma
• diabetes
• arthritis
• high cholesterol
• high blood pressure
• osteoporosis
• thyroid disorders
• chronic kidney disease
• COPD

Management for a chronic disease focuses on keeping a condition controlled or managed. For hypertension, that means following a long-term plan to maintain normal blood pressure. If you have diabetes, chronic care means keeping levels of blood sugar within an acceptable range.

Chronic Disease Management at Family Medicine, PC includes working with you to develop a management plan, providing the support you need to stick with the plan, and routine checkups to be sure you meet your goals.

Chronic care plans include lifestyle changes and medications, when necessary. Changes in diet often make a significant difference. In the early stages of hypertension, diabetes, and coronary artery disease, dietary changes may be all you need to stop the condition from worsening. Weight loss and increased physical activity are also important parts of chronic care plans.