Chronic Disease Management

What is chronic disease management?

Chronic disease management is a family medicine subspecialty that diagnoses and treats chronic (long-term) illnesses. Despite being incurable, chronic diseases often improve with a combination of prescription medication, healthy lifestyle changes, and regular checkups.

At Sage Medical Clinic, the team provides chronic disease management to people of all ages. Their knowledge and expertise help relieve uncomfortable symptoms and prevent chronic conditions from getting worse.

What types of illnesses benefit from chronic disease management?

The Sage Medical Clinic team uses chronic disease management to treat various illnesses, including:

• Diabetes
• Hypertension (high blood pressure)
• High cholesterol
• Arthritis
• Asthma
• Inflammatory bowel disease (for example, Crohn’s and ulcerative colitis)
• Dementia 
• Cancer
• Mental health disorders (e.g., depression and generalized anxiety disorder)

You might benefit from chronic disease management if you have a neurological disorder, like multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, or neuropathy (nerve damage).

What does chronic disease management involve?

At Sage Medical Clinic, the team tailors chronic disease management to each person’s goals and needs. They could suggest:

Prescription medication

Most chronic illnesses need to be managed with prescription medication. For example, if you have Type 1 diabetes, your Sage Medical Clinic provider prescribes insulin. Prescription insulin helps your cells use blood sugar more effectively so that it doesn’t build up in your bloodstream. 

Similarly, if you have depression, you might need to take medication, like a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI), to help manage your mood and outlook.

Healthy lifestyle changes

Chronic illnesses, like high blood pressure, tend to get worse if you eat a poor diet. Healthy lifestyle changes, like improving your nutrition, exercising regularly, managing stress, and getting plenty of sleep, can help you feel your best and prevent the illness from worsening.

Routine checkups

Chronic conditions like diabetes and heart disease get progressively worse. Regular visits to Sage Medical Clinic help monitor your symptoms. At each checkup, your provider adjusts your treatment plan as needed to reduce the risk of complications and help you feel your best.

Specialist referrals

The Sage Medical Clinic team treats most chronic health problems, but certain cases require more specialized care. For example, if you have a neurological condition like multiple sclerosis, working with a physical therapist can help you maintain your muscle strength and improve your balance.

Call Sage Medical Clinic today to schedule a chronic disease management appointment, or book your visit online.