Chronic Disease Management

Though most adults know about the dangers of chronic diseases, few realize that 60% of them will develop at least one chronic health condition, and many will end up with two or more. Seth Sullivan, MD, in New Canaan, Connecticut, specializes in chronic disease management, providing lifestyle recommendations and medications that prevent your chronic disease from progressing to cause serious problems. Whether you need screening to determine your risk factors or want skilled chronic disease management, don’t wait to schedule an appointment. Call the concierge medicine practice of Seth Sullivan, MD, or request an appointment online today.

What is chronic disease management?

You can usually prevent chronic diseases, but once they develop, they’re a lifelong condition for which there’s currently no cure. Chronic disease management refers to the long-term treatment you’ll need to reduce your symptoms and stop the condition from progressing to an advanced stage.

What conditions does chronic disease management include?

Dr. Sullivan has years of experience diagnosing and managing all chronic diseases. The most common include:

• Asthma
• Arthritis
• Diabetes
• Heart disease
• Chronic pain
• Fibromyalgia
• Hypertension (high blood pressure)
• High cholesterol
• Chronic kidney disease
• Chronic liver disease
• Inflammatory bowel disease
• Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)

You may also need long-term care for conditions like allergies and chronic fatigue syndrome.

What should I expect during chronic disease management?

Chronic disease management always begins with an exam, onsite labs like blood tests, and sometimes an EKG. After verifying your diagnosis, Dr. Sullivan develops a management plan.

His goal is to keep your disease controlled so it doesn’t progress and cause serious problems like a heart attack or stroke. How that’s accomplished depends on your diagnosis.

Managing diabetes means keeping your blood sugar in the normal range. Managing hypertension focuses on taking steps to lower your blood pressure. Heart disease management involves reducing the stress on your heart and treating the conditions that cause heart disease.

No matter what type of chronic condition you have, managing the disease and promoting your optimal health includes:

Lifestyle changes

Variables like your diet, exercise routine, weight, and smoking have a substantial impact on chronic diseases. For example, the foods you eat can lower blood sugar, cholesterol, and high blood pressure, while being overweight and smoking accelerate the disease process.

When chronic conditions are caught at an early stage (before they’re severe enough to be diagnosed as a full-blown disease), lifestyle changes can prevent the disease. After you’re diagnosed with a chronic condition, changing your lifestyle habits is essential for keeping it controlled.

Medications

Some chronic conditions, such as Type 1 diabetes and COPD, always need medications. Others need medication only if they’re severe or not controlled with lifestyle changes. 

Whether you want to prevent disease or need chronic disease management, you can depend on the skilled care of Seth Sullivan, MD. To schedule an appointment, call the office or request one online today.