Presbyterian | Fall 2018 | Your Story

8 High blood pressure—are you at risk ? High blood pressure is a condition that many Americans face—75 million, in fact! If you have high blood pressure, you know it is often silent with few outward signs. Even if you can’t tell it is happening, high blood pressure has serious risks. You can get ahead of these risks by having your blood pressure checked at least every two years. If your blood pressure is high, you can often control it by changing how you eat and exercise. Usually your provider will prescribe medicine too. You can help lower your risks for getting high blood pressure if you: ● ● Lose weight (if you are overweight) ● ● Keep your cholesterol levels in a healthy range ● ● Lower the amount of salt in your diet ● ● Exercise every day for at least 30 minutes (with your provider’s OK) ● ● Don’t smoke ● ● Maintain normal blood sugar (glucose) levels New procedures, drugs, and devices— are they right for you ? You may often hear about new medical treatments and procedures. We have a team that looks into which of these treatments might be right for you and other members. Presbyterian Health Plan’s New Technology Assessment Committee looks at new treatments, drugs, and devices to see if your health plan will cover them. The group looks at many things to make choices about new treatments, drugs, or devices. Some of the questions they ask are: • Is it safe? Does it work well? Is it better than what is used now? • How much will it cost? • Are people trained to use it? The New Technology Assessment Committee includes doctors from the health plan and the local area. It also includes other clinical staff. These healthcare experts help to make sure that the new treatments and procedures have been tested and well-researched before they are covered as health plan benefits. Speak to your provider about covered treatments that are right for your situation. Use these tips to keep your blood pressure in check. If you have questions, talk to your provider or call PresRN, a nurse advice line available to you 24 hours a day, seven days a week, at (505) 923-5677 or 1-888-730-2300 .