Novant Health declares war on preventable killers

January 7, 2014 – Today, Novant Health announced it is declaring war on high blood pressure, prediabetes and obesity as part of a multi-year, system-wide community health initiative designed to create an epidemic of health and wellness. The statistics are alarming. One out of every three Americans age 20 and older has prediabetes. Additionally, one in three has hypertension and more than one-third of U.S. adults are considered obese. Serious health implications can include organ and nerve damage, loss of limbs and blindness. These three health conditions combined account for approximately $266 billion in annual U.S. medical costs and contribute to hundreds of thousands of deaths per year.

While proper detection and management can reverse these consequences, an overwhelming majority of adults with prediabetes and high blood pressure are unaware of their conditions. “Every day we see the impact these significant but often preventable killers have on families,” said Carl S. Armato, president and CEO of Novant Health. “Prediabetes, obesity and high blood pressure are leading factors in two of the biggest killers in America: heart disease and stroke. By focusing on intensive screening and appropriate education efforts in our communities, we can encourage a new kind of epidemic: health and wellness.”

“A large percentage of consumers seek education and prevention options related to cancer, high cholesterol, or even back and joint pain,” said Ophelia Garmon-Brown, MD, family physician and senior vice president with Novant Health. “Yet, how many ask their doctor to rule out prediabetes, regularly check their blood pressure or take real action when their weight creeps up to obese levels? The answer is very few. Our message is simple but powerful: Small changes can really make a big difference.”

A recent landmark study supports this claim. The prestigious medical journal The Lancet reported that people at risk for diabetes can lower their risk of heart disease nearly 10 percent by walking just one mile per day.

Novant Health plans to screen 500,000 people in inpatient, outpatient and community settings to personally evaluate their risk factors and anticipates providing over 25,000 A1C blood tests and other screenings for those determined to be at risk for developing diabetes, heart disease and stroke.

Later this month, Novant Health will conduct the system’s first-ever system-wide screenings:

For more information on the community health initiative visit www.novanthealth.org/wellness.

SOURCE: Novant Health