Chronic Disease Management

The numbers surrounding chronic diseases in the United States are nothing short of eye-opening, as approximately 133 million people struggle with incurable and ongoing diseases that can wreak havoc on their lives if they aren’t properly managed. At River Hills Family Medicine, Lori Naglieri, MD, and her team have extensive experience helping their Austin and Leander, Texas, patients successfully negotiate chronic diseases like high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and diabetes. To learn more, call the practice or set up an appointment with the online booking tool.

Chronic Disease Management Q & A

What are the most common chronic diseases?

With 133 million people in the US in the throes of a chronic disease, it may be helpful to review some of the more common diseases, which include:

High blood pressure

One in three adults is considered hypertensive and another one in three are prehypertensive, which means their numbers are poised to enter dangerous territory. High blood pressure can lead to serious problems with heart disease, heart attack, and stroke.

Diabetes

Diabetes has been labeled a national crisis in the US, as 30 million people have been diagnosed with the disease and another 84 million are considered prediabetic. Diabetes is a condition in which your body can’t properly regulate blood sugar levels, and the effects of this on health can be widespread, leading to heart attacks, peripheral neuropathy, and vision loss.

High cholesterol

Approximately 95 million adults in the US have high cholesterol, which is a dangerous condition that produces no outward symptoms. The effects, however, can lead to serious and life-threatening cardiovascular issues.

Rounding out the list of the most common chronic diseases are heart disease, mental illnesses, and cancer, though this list is by no means comprehensive.

What is involved in chronic disease management?

The answer to this is tricky, since it depends exclusively on which disease you have. Rest assured that Dr. Naglieri and her team have the experience and expertise to help you protect your health when you’re dealing with a chronic disease. Through vigilant oversight, cutting-edge treatments, and lifestyle changes, the providers at River Hills Family Medicine are able to help you slow the progression of your chronic disease, and in some cases, you may even be able to reverse it.

What can I do to prevent chronic disease?

While the existing prevalence of chronic diseases among the population in the US is already high at 133 million, these numbers are expected to rise to 157 million by 2020.

Dr. Naglieri’s goal is to bring these numbers down, which can be accomplished through expert preventive care. Many of the diseases mentioned above can be headed off through simple lifestyle changes — such as losing weight or quitting smoking — and the team partners with patients to accomplish these steps for great health in the future.

For expert chronic disease management, call River Hills Family Medicine or request an appointment using the online scheduling tool.