Everyone is now increasingly aware of the importance of blood pressure and cholesterol control in the prevention of future heart disease and stroke. At the Claddagh Medical Centre, we have worked to devise a protocol of care based on the latest best medical evidence.
We use 24 hour Blood Pressure monitoring for the initial diagnosis of high blood pressure and frequently for ensuring good control on medication. This machine is placed on the patient for a full 24 hours to give a more accurate view of the blood pressure and has been shown to reduce the effects of “white coat” high blood pressure due to the worry of having your blood pressure checked in the surgery.
The final diagnosis is only made in conjunction with a full range of blood and urine tests and ECG to assess your full cardiac risk profile. We are confident that this approach ensures that only patients who really need treatment for blood pressure are given a prescription.
After diagnosis, a patient usually needs to be seen quite regularly to ensure their blood pressure is controlled with medications but once control is achieved we usually advise a check twice a year with a full blood profile annually.
Similarly, patients noted to have high cholesterol will have a comprehensive profile done of their cardiac risk. This involves taking into account your family history, lifestyle factors, blood pressure, weight, blood sugar, blood pressure and of course your cholesterol reading. Using these, we can calculate the risk of you having heart problems in the future and advise regarding diet or perhaps medication to reduce this risk as much as possible.
Our approach is to monitor your “heart health” as a whole and not just your cholesterol in isolation.