Six in ten American adults have a chronic disease. That’s means over half of the adults you know are a dealing with a life threatening disease. Now consider this: Four in ten U.S. adults have two or more chronic diseases such as diabetes.

In fact, according to the National Institutes of Health, more than two-thirds of all deaths in America are caused by one of the following chronic diseases:

• Heart disease
• Cancer
• Stroke
• COPD
• Diabetes

Complications Related to Chronic Diseases

Regular appointments help you avoid any serious complications that can arise from chronic illnesses. Still don’t think you need to show up to each appointment? Let’s take a look at some of the serious problems that can happen if these diseases are not properly managed.

DIABETES

When you have diabetes, it may take your body longer to recover from injuries or infections. You can also develop other serious problems such as:

Glaucoma
Cataracts
Kidney disease
High blood pressure
Stroke
Heart disease

Some of these problems, such as kidney disease, don’t show any symptoms until the disease has dramatically progressed. That’s why regular appointments—including blood tests—are so important for those with diabetes. Almost half of those with diabetes can also develop neuropathy, which is another word for nerve damage.

You may not think of diabetes affecting your skin, but if left unchecked, the disease can also lead to bacterial infections such as:

• Styes
• Boils
• Folliculitis
• Deep skin infections (carbuncles) Nail infections

As internal medicine physicians in Waterbury CT, we specialize in treating diseases such as diabetes, because we take a look at how one illness can affect the systems of the entire body.

HEART DISEASE

Heart disease is sometimes called the silent killer because most people don’t know they even have it.

By working with Agape Family Medical Center, you can be sure you’re keeping up with the things needed to reduce your risk for the disease. For example, we’ll be able to monitor your blood pressure and cholesterol.

If we discover a problem, we’re also able to reach a diagnosis.

If you have heart disease, it’s important to follow-up with your cardiologist to ensure that you’re following the right treatment protocols. Failure to do so can lead to more serious tissue destruction, heart attack or stroke.

CANCER

Early detection is the key to being a cancer survivor and why it’s so important to have regular screenings. For example, we offer cancer screenings such as Pap smears that detect cervical cancer early. Prostate cancer is one of the most common cancers in men and unfortunately most men don’t know they have it. Again if detected early enough we can stop this in its tracks and increase your chances of survival

Agape Family Medical Center Wants to Be Your Primary Care Home

Chronic diseases never stop. They don’t wait for your schedule to be more convenient. They can consistently lead to some of the most devastating medical problems. That’s why you can’t afford to skip your doctor’s appointment.

At Agape Family Medical Center, we’re here to help you fight chronic diseases like diabetes and high blood pressure. Through management, treatment, education and nutritional counseling, we’ll help you make positive changes that enable you to live your healthiest life.

We want to be your primary care physician and if you are dealing with chronic disease, help you manage it. Contact us to schedule an appointment by clicking this link or calling 203-527-3576