The Hypertension Clinic, a group clinic that meets once a month, is now offered at the Montrose campus. The clinic was created in response to the many veterans with hypertension, or high blood pressure, we see at VA Hudson Valley Health Care System. Now that the Joint National Committee on Prevention, Detection, Evaluation and Treatment of Hypertension recommends lower blood pressure levels to stay healthy and prevent heart disease and stroke, helping veterans achieve and maintain a normal blood pressure has become a priority for us.

A team effort
At the clinic, veterans are taught how to manage their hypertension through a multidisciplinary team approach. A physician explains what hypertension is and its causes. A pharmacist presents a slide show about available medications to treat hypertension. A dietitian discusses food choices and how sodium affects the body. After the presentations, the staff addresses individual concerns during a short question-and-answer period. Nurses monitor the clinic's effectiveness by taking participants' blood pressure for three months. Follow-up appointments are made with patients' VA primary care physicians as needed.

Successful from the start
In November 2005, we launched our first clinic with great success. Veterans applauded the educational experience. We've conducted five additional clinics since then, and we hear wonderful comments about them from veterans and their families. The clinic continues to grow in size and popularity.

Veterans can sign up for the Hypertension Clinic by speaking with their VA primary care provider or a nurse in the primary care clinic.