Sponsored by Ole Town Medical.

High blood pressure, diabetes and high cholesterol are called “silent killers” because they can often go undetected without showing any symptoms.

Often these conditions go undetected without annual check-ups, which is why residents are urged to get their annual check-up for the sake of finding and monitoring these issues before they lead to more severe problems.

Laura Lindsey Hill, FNP-C, raises awareness for the importance of annual checkups

Laura Lindsey Hill, a certified nurse practitioner at Ole Town Med in Oxford, Mississippi is an advocate for these annual appointments. Hill has been practicing as a family nurse practitioner for seven years. Her clinic, Ole Town Med, just celebrated its one-year anniversary.

Discovering High Blood Pressure, Hypertension and Diabetes in a Health Checkup

 Hill stressed the importance of annual check-ups, as they can help monitor individuals who may have something like high blood pressure, high cholesterol or diabetes – conditions that could potentially invade without any given symptoms.

“That’s why these conditions can be considered “silent killers”, because sometimes you are not aware you are having any issues if you are not being checked at least annually – preferably, a couple times a year,” Hill said. “A lot of the time, you don’t have symptoms of anything until it’s too late.”

High blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes can lead to severe health complications, such as an increased risk of heart disease, stroke, heart attacks, and circulatory damage that can cause organ failure including eye damage, blindness, kidney disease, liver disease, etc.

A healthy lifestyle that includes exercise and a diet approved by the American Heart Association can help prevent and/or minimize health problems. Residents can easily check their blood pressure at a pharmacy; Ole Town Med is always happy to check a patient’s blood pressure free of charge.

Health Checkups are Affordable – With or Without Insurance

 Hill said one of the initial reasons Ole Town Med was established was to cater to those in need of chronic illness management and prevention. The practice is in network with almost all insurance plans – please call to confirm we are in your network.

“We work anyway we can with a patient financially to get them in to be seen by a provider,” Hill said.

Hill said mid-20s is a good time for individuals to start doing an annual wellness exam, even if one did not have a family history of such medical problems.

“It’s important to start that as soon as possible,” she said, adding that medical experts are starting to see an increase in high blood pressure and diabetes in children as young as 12 years old. “The sooner you can start teaching patients about… what they’ve got to do to prevent heart issues and organ failure later on in life, the better.”

Ole Town Med is unique in its practice, because it accepts appointments and walk-ins. Hill said the practice offers personalized care and follows up with its patients. It is also open seven days a week – 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday, 10 a.m – 4 p.m. on Saturdays, and 12 p.m. – 6 p.m. on Sundays. Residents can learn more about the practice at http://oletownmed.com.  Connect on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/OleTownMed/