Learn about the heart health trilogy and what you can do for your health

Let’s talk about the trilogy. No, we aren’t talking about the Terminator, Die Hard or The Godfather trilogies. We’re talking about the link between high blood pressure, diabetes, and heart disease. 

80% of people with type 2 diabetes have high blood pressure and having these chronic conditions, raises your risk of heart disease. An even scarier statistic? Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States. 

How do these conditions affect the others? 

While you can have heart disease without high blood pressure or diabetes – and high blood pressure or diabetes without heart disease – these conditions are commonly linked together. Over time, if left untreated, diabetes and high blood pressure can damage blood vessels and cause heart disease. 

But the good news is that high blood pressure, diabetes and heart disease are often preventable! Early detection and prevention can help control high blood pressure or diabetes and keep them from worsening. 

How can you prevent high blood pressure, diabetes and heart disease? 

Establish a relationship with your doctor! Seeing your physician regularly can help establish a baseline of your blood pressure and blood sugar so you can catch warning signs early and focus on preventive treatment. 

Your Village Health Partners physician might prescribe you a variety of treatments to prevent one of these conditions, anything from medicine to lifestyle modifications – like regular walks in the park!

What are the next steps if you already have one of these conditions? 

Your physician still wants to see you and work with you to keep your high blood pressure or diabetes under control. You and your physician can work together to develop new health goals and lifestyle changes that work for you. 

Do you want to learn more about how these three conditions work together? 

Coming soon, we will host group medical visits that give you more time with a primary care physician, a dietitian and a pharmacist – all together in one room! These visits will help patients truly understand their chronic illnesses and how they can work to live their healthiest lives.

Are you interested in learning more about group visits, or in potentially attending one? Let us know here.