Common Chronic Diseases

Common Chronic Diseases

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) defines chronic disease as a medical condition which alters daily activities or needs ongoing doctorstreatment for more than a year. Are you one of the millions of Americans struggling with COPD, depression, diabetes, hypertension, or other continuing condition? Dr. Deana Al-Khateeb of Ridgeview Internal Medicine in Woodbridge is the primary care physician who can help you achieve optimal wellness.

What causes chronic disease?

Heredity plays a role in many chronic diseases. Both type-1 and type-2 diabetes, for instance, does not seem to have a genetic marker necessarily; however, the risk for developing diabetes appears to run in families, reports Everyday Health. The same can be said for high blood pressure and many other chronic health problems.

So, why would one person develop Coronary Artery Disease or another chronic issue more easily than another would? Lifestyle factors appear to play a significant role--things such as:

  • Being sedentary
  • Consuming a fatty, high-salt diet
  • Not eating enough fiber
  • Consuming too many calories, leading to an unhealthy weight
  • Drinking alcohol to excess
  • Smoking (and second-hand smoke)

How your Woodbridge physician can help

At Ridgeview Internal Medicine, Dr. Al-Khateeb and her team help their patients identify and live well with chronic health conditions. She recommends an annual physical examination for all adults with more frequent check-ins to monitor people who have asthma, diabetes or another continuing problem.

Harvard Health says that your primary care physician is your very best resource for:

  • Managing your medications
  • Helping you coordinate services from specialists such as a cardiologist or physical therapist
  • Ordering and interpreting test results, both from lab work or at-home monitoring of variables such as blood pressure and blood sugars
  • Helping you find a support group or other community resources which will assist you with the stresses of chronic disease
  • Avoiding complications such as amputations (for diabetics), depression (often associated with heart disease) and kidney failure (from heart failure and diabetes)

Live healthier longer

At Ridgeview Internal Medicine in Woodbridge, VA, we want to help our patients through acute illnesses, injuries and of course, the chronic diseases which can cause so much worry and impact on daily life and function. Please call our office to arrange for your annual physical or any time you may have a question or concern about your health. Phone us at (703) 494-4116.


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2000 Opitz Blvd Woodbridge, VA 22191