Health professionals in Prince Edward Island are helping Islanders to better avoid – or live with – the common but potentially deadly conditions of high-blood pressure and COPD, says Minister of Health and Wellness Doug Currie.
“High-blood pressure, also known as hypertension, and the lung disease COPD are both among the top five leading causes of death worldwide and also impact Islanders in great numbers,” Minister Currie said. “We need to teach Islanders how to recognize their risk factors or, if they have the disease, to ease their symptoms and enhance their quality of life.”
Hypertension pilot projects have begun at the Central Queens/Gulf Shore and Eastern Kings health centres that include information sessions where patients “get to know their numbers,” including blood pressure and cholesterol and blood glucose levels. Those at risk and those who already have the disease are supported in their efforts to eat better, be more physically active, limit alcohol and tobacco use, and track their health progress.
“Health PEI is focusing on hypertension and COPD because they affect a great many Islanders, but many don’t even know that they have these conditions,” said Deborah Bradley, Health PEI’s executive director of Community Hospitals and Primary Health Care. “Increasing patients’ knowledge, skills and confidence in dealing with their conditions helps them take control of their illness and may help reduce complications down the road.”
For COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease), a common lung condition that makes it difficult to breathe, a pilot project at Harbourside Health Centre in Summerside has yielded positive results since it was begun in 2010. It teaches patients how to do exercises and to better use their medication to help make their breathing easier. The program has been well received by patients and has led to decreased emergency department visits at Prince County Hospital, and is now being rolled out to other health centres across the province.
Both the hypertension and the COPD programs were developed under partnerships with pharmaceutical companies. Health PEI acquired $115,000 in private funding to launch the hypertension project and $240,000 for the COPD project.
“We want to ensure that Islanders are aware of how they can reduce their risk through better awareness, lifestyle modification, and the implementation of the latest best practice guidelines,” said Dr. Ted Witek, president and CEO of Boehringer Ingelheim (Canada) Ltd., one of Health PEI’s partners in the hypertension project. “We believe the hypertension project proposed by Health PEI will allow for significant advancement in these areas and we look forward to sharing expertise, efforts and funding to make the program successful.”
For more tips on managing blood pressure and other tools for healthy living, check out the Health PEI/Department of Health and Wellness publication “Passport to Health” at www.healthpei.ca/healthpassport or request a free printed copy by calling 368-4000 or emailing island@gov.pe.ca.