Carla Richardson of Beverly on the southwest side of Chicago loves it when her grandson tells her, “You’re lookin’ fresh Nonnie!” She jokes, “This is what 77 looks like. But then again, I’m an old hippie.”

Richardson also credits her "fresh look” to her positive attitude and the consistent care she’s been receiving at OSF CompleteCare 55+. The clinic at 99^th and Western Avenue in Evergreen Park opened a year ago this month. It offers a new kind of primary care targeting older adults with ongoing health conditions who are looking for community, hands-on care and 24/7 access to real providers, not chatbots.

For Richardson, the vibe is great.

“They’re glad to see you. You don’t feel like you’re a patient. You feel like you’re going somewhere where someone really cares about you. They keep in touch with you, which is so important. I get texts from Taylor [Taylor Wen, PA, her OSF CompleteCare 55+provider] on MyChart, and it’s just an interaction that is rare.” 

Richardson was diagnosed four years ago with pulmonary sarcoidosis, and she has a history of pulmonary embolism and pneumonia. Plus, she has to be on blood thinners. Frustrated with her previous care, she tried OSF Complete Care 55+ shortly after it opened, and she’s been thrilled with her experience.

“My first experience with Taylor was just phenomenal. She was knowledgeable, patient, and she seemed like she cared. And going to doctors, sometimes you're just a patient number. And I didn't feel that here.”

Wen, a physician assistant, also sent Richardson to get a bone density scan where Richardson learned she had severe osteoporosis – so bad that she had to reduce the weight of her purse for fear it would break her wrist. Richardson is so grateful because she believes knowledge is power.

Staying connected to consistent care

Although she doesn’t consider herself computer savvy, Richardson says she’s learned to use OSF MyChart, and it keeps her connected to Wen.

“It’s easy to use, and it helps me monitor and keep up with my own health issues. I like the fact it reminds me when I have appointments coming up. I’m retired but I’m still busy.” 

Richardson remembers when doctors made house calls and says the care she’s getting now reminds her of that.

“When the doctor would come to your house with his bag. I know it was 100 years ago. But it’s so personal now, here. And you go to other places, and you’re waiting and waiting. And no one really seems to care.” 

The 6,300 square-foot clinic features 12 exam rooms and on-site labs. Sandy Valino Stock, DO, medical director of OSF CompleteCare 55+, says many people enjoy the option to connect digitally 24/7. Virtual visits make it easy to get answers to questions, especially after hours when symptoms aren’t severe enough for emergency care. Richardson says that kind of convenience could save her from long waits in the emergency department, only to be sent home with a quick evaluation and remedy.

Dr. Valino Stock says about half of the people who use the clinic take advantage of virtual visits, while the other half are seen in-person.

“Patients love the virtual concept because they don’t have to miss as much work. It’s just convenient for them,” Dr. Valino Stock shares. “Sometimes it’s a case where the patient comes into the clinic and their loved one wants to be tuned in, but they’re at work. So, they can be virtual during that visit, and they can be present if they need to be.” 

More than half of the clinic’s patients have high blood pressure and/or high cholesterol, one-fourth have diabetes and significant osteoarthritis, and about 10% have heart failure.

But consistent care is helping improve those conditions. For example, almost 80% of patients are now meeting blood pressure and A1c targets, up from 34% and 58% respectively.

The clinic has also seen success in increasing completion rates for screenings such as mammograms, bone density tests and colonoscopies. These preventive steps are often overlooked, but they play a key role in long-term health.

GLP1 medication management is available

As people age, weight management can also become more difficult as metabolism naturally slows. Dr. Valino Stock explains that metabolism typically declines by 1% to 2% each year after age 20. At CompleteCare 55+, more than half of patients are overweight or meet obesity criteria. This is important because extra weight on the body leads to most of the medical conditions being treated.

GLP-1 medications such as Mounjaro or Ozempic are, as Dr. Valino Stock put it, “magical” in helping people lose weight. But the GLP-1 journey requires regular check-ins and medication management.

“We see them monthly for the most part as they’re getting started on these GLP-1s. So, patients have better success at getting healthier, whether it’s controlling their blood sugars or lowering their weight and doing it in a healthy manner where they can maintain their muscle and minimize the side effects.” 

Many who enroll in OSF CompleteCare 55+ are women in pre-menopause and menopause. The outlook for Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) for menopause has fundamentally shifted in the past 10 years. Following major reviews, experts now recognize that for most healthy women under 60 or within 10 years of the onset of menopause, the benefits of HRT far outweigh the risks.

“If no contraindications, we can help women sleep better, have a little bit more energy, feel themselves and just continue life because life is very busy. So, if we can help a woman get a good night’s sleep, everything changes for that woman.” 

Beyond direct medical care, digital health care navigators at a “Connect Bar” in the lobby also help with insurance issues, coordinating appointments with specialists and navigating OSF MyChart and other tools to monitor their health. Events such as Tech Tuesday also allow for group sessions to address technology challenges.

Navigators also connect people with resources to address social needs such as transportation to appointments or senior centers or food insecurity. Through educational events with speakers on health topics and partnerships with local organizations, clinic leaders continue to learn more about the needs of the people they're serving.

Additionally, regular outreach efforts keep providers connected. For example, at the OSF CompleteCare 55+ clinic, any community member can access free blood pressure screenings from 10 a.m.-noon every first and third Tuesday of the month.

Learn more here about OSF CompleteCare 55+ primary care.

Video clips with Carla Richardson

Video clips with Dr. Sandy Valino Stock

B-roll-OSF CompleteCare 55+

Medical Center leaders say the new system will streamline care for patients from 20 weeks gestation through six weeks postpartum by combining emergency triage with around-the-clock obstetric expertise.

Kristin Salyards, MSN, RNC-OB. manager, Family Birthing Center at OSF Saint Joseph Medical Center says most pregnant women will still enter the hospital through traditional channels, including the emergency department, but staff will quickly determine whether they should be treated in the OB ED.

“They will receive education from their providers offices, but they can also just present to the hospital like they have before,” says Salyards. “When they present to the ER, then the ER and the OB teams will collaborate to determine the best location for treatment for those patients.”

Women referred by their obstetric provider for pregnancy-related concerns can be directed straight to the OB ED upon arrival.

Located within the Family Birthing Center on the second floor, the OB ED features private space dedicated to the evaluation and management of pregnancy-related concerns. This specialized setting ensures patients receive expert care tailored to their unique needs. It also provides quick access to labor and delivery rooms, operating rooms and the special care nursery if emergency intervention becomes necessary.

 Non-obstetric emergencies will continue to be treated in the main emergency department.

Reducing stress and delays

The main goal of the OB ED is reducing delays and stress for expectant mothers experiencing complications or urgent concerns.

Salyards explains, “It’s ensuring that our moms have access to care when they need it, as soon as they need it right here.”

A key change is the addition of an in-house obstetrics provider available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Previously, nurses handled the initial obstetric triage process before contacting providers as needed.

“The provider being in house 24/7 allows that immediate triage by an OB trained provider and then also allows that provider to be in house to provide whatever treatment is necessary for those moms.”

Staff members throughout the obstetrics department are being cross trained to work in multiple areas of care, allowing the hospital to adjust staffing levels as patient needs fluctuate.

The introduction of the OB ED also enhances coordination across hospital departments. Diagnostic orders, imaging, and lab services for obstetric emergency patients will be associated with the OB ED location within the electronic medical record, supporting accurate routing and efficient care delivery while maintaining standard workflows for collection, transport, and reporting.

Officials say a broader refresh of the Family Birthing Center that will include the addition of the OB ED is intended to create a calmer, more welcoming environment for patients and families while improving access to specialized maternity care.

For more information about the Obstetric Emergency Department at OSF HealthCare St. Joseph Medical Center, please visit our website.

Media clips with Kirstin Salyards

B-roll-OSF St, Joseph Medical Center OB ED

Despite years of public health efforts, most U.S. adults with high blood pressure are still not meeting current treatment targets, a gap that new national data continue to highlight.

Jason Trager, DO, a cardiologist with OSF HealthCare in Bloomington says the findings underscore why recent hypertension guideline changes were necessary and why controlling blood pressure remains one of the most effective ways to prevent serious cardiovascular events.

Under updated guidelines, the long-standing 140/90 mm Hg is now considered stage 2 hypertension, and a blood pressure of 130/80 mm Hg is considered stage 1.

“Which is a fairly low goal yet, when you compare 130/80 to the 140/90 and you treat these people, it resulted in about 15% risk reduction in all-cause mortality. So again, there’s good data to back it up.” 

Dr. Trager says lowering the threshold for diagnosis of high blood pressure can make a difference in preventing heart attacks and strokes. However, in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2021-2023 data, 79.1% of adults with hypertension did not have their blood pressure within the 130 mm Hg systolic and 80 mm Hg diastolic threshold recommended by guidelines.

Trager said the reasons are complex and often overlapping.

“Well, it’s a little bit difficult to tell,” according to Dr. Trager. “And sometimes it could be access to the care where the patients aren’t getting in to see their primary care docs and doing the primary care prevention type of stuff. Sometimes it could be related to the cost of the medications that are required, or some people just have high blood pressure, but they don’t know it.” 

Lifestyle changes can make a big difference

He adds that lifestyle factors also play a major role in whether patients achieve control.

Smoking cessation, he emphasizes, could have the single greatest impact.

 “Quitting smoking decreases your risk of having heart attack and strokes by 50%. I mean, it’s almost better than any medication that I can give you, it’s just, it’s just not to smoke.” Dr. Trager adds, “The other thing we see a lot is sleep apnea and treatment of the sleep apnea – that can really reduce someone’s blood pressure significantly too.” 

For many patients with stage 1 hypertension, medication is not the first step. Instead, Trager believes in introducing lifestyle changes that can significantly reduce blood pressure.

“If someone decreases their salt intake, and there’s this DASH diet, we can see about a 10-point blood pressure reduction,” Dr. Trager says. “If someone starts exercising, we all see about a five-point reduction in blood pressure. If someone ends up losing, you know, just 10 pounds, you would also see about a five-to-10-point blood pressure reduction.” 

Even among patients taking medication, control remains elusive. Trager point out that half of people with high blood pressure are unaware they have it, and even among those treated, only about half reach current targets.

Check blood pressure regularly

“With these newer guidelines, about one in five people will be controlled,” he says. “So, in other words, come in, bring in your blood pressure cuff, see your primary (care provider), or see your cardiologist, because you will probably need to do some tweaking of the medications now.” 

Trager recommends taking a blood pressure reading once a week at home. And he stresses the importance of accurate blood pressure measurement, including proper cuff placement and body positioning. He suggests avoiding wrist cuts because he says they can be notoriously inaccurate. Also, make sure you are placing the cuff high enough on the arm – about where your heart is and ensure you don’t have arms or legs crossed and you’re in a relaxed state.

Because hypertension often causes no symptoms, regular monitoring is key. For patients with a history of cardiac disease, he says it’s really important to treat anyone close to the 130/80 range. Hypertension is often referred to as the “silent killer” because someone might not have any symptoms until it’s too late.

With a family history of cardiac disease, he also recommends getting a calcium score test or coronary artery calcium scan which is a non-invasive CT scan that detects calcium-containing plaque in the coronary arteries. It measures the risk of heart disease or future heart attacks. It takes 10–15 minutes, involves low radiation.

Here is more information about getting that test.

Video Clips of Dr. Jason Trager

Early menopause (menopause that occurs before age 45) has been found to increase the risk of heart disease. 

According to a study by the American Diabetes Association, that included data from nearly 10,000 postmenopausal women, researchers looked at the connection between early menopause, Type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk in women. The data showed that women who experienced early or premature menopause had a higher risk of heart disease, especially if they also had Type 2 diabetes.

According to Kathleen Meade, APRN, a nurse practitioner with OSF HealthCare, estrogen helps protect the heart. The drop in estrogen levels that occur during menopause can lead to higher cholesterol, blood pressure and body fat levels — all of which are factors leading to heart disease.

Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death among women of all ages. More than 60 million women in the U.S. have some type of heart disease. “For women, heart disease is very serious,” says Meade. “A lot of times we think of the other things that might potentially affect our life and our quality of life, like cancers, but with heart disease, it’s the most prevalent cause of death in women.”

For women who encounter early menopause, these changes happen over a longer period. They increase the lifetime heart disease risk compared with those who reach menopause around the average age of 50 to 52. When hormonal changes occur with menopause, blood vessels can stiffen, blood pressure can rise and cholesterol balance may change, all of which increase the risk of heart disease.

“When women go through menopause, they fail to produce any estrogen,” explains Meade. “Estrogen is a vital link between vascular flexibility, and that would increase their chances of having hypertension. And it increases their risk of plaque buildup, or if they have high cholesterol or hyperlipidemia. So, you put those together, that's what causes the increased risk of heart disease.” 

Besides menopause, other major risk factors for cardiovascular disease for women include high blood pressure, high cholesterol, an unhealthy diet, obesity, smoking and physical inactivity. “Women can take several steps to decrease their cardiovascular risk,” Meade says. “One would be to maintain an active lifestyle. We recommend 150 minutes of exercise per week. Follow a low fat, heart healthy diet. The Mediterranean diet is an excellent way to provide healthy oils and low fat and good protein.” Meade also recommends limiting alcohol and processed foods, increasing fruits and vegetables and getting at least eight hours of sleep.

Tailoring a treatment plan 

Knowing the link between menopause and heart disease can help health care providers like Meade treat her patients more effectively now and in the future.

“You can more individually tailor their care accordingly to when they went through menopause and when you possibly put them on hormone replacement therapy,” she says. “Look at all the other cardiovascular risk factors – address hypertension, hyperlipidemia or cholesterol, look at their sleep patterns, at exercise routines and weight management. We can put all that together to try to reduce their chances of having a heart attack or a stroke.”

Hormone replacement therapy is medicine prescribed to replace the estrogen the body stops making after menopause, which is when periods finally stop for good. This therapy is used to treat common symptoms, such as hot flashes. It’s also been used to prevent bone loss after menopause. Meade says for the best results, hormone replacement therapy should be tailored to each person but first discussed with your health care provider.

Meade can relate to her patients who experience menopause issues. She has traveled along a similar journey. “I’ve gone through menopause, and I'm happy to say that I feel great,” she says. “I generally bring it up in our conversations when the time is right. A lot of times they bring it up, because it does impact our lives in every aspect. I feel like I can walk beside them, help them and give them expert advice and treatment options.”

For more information on women’s health, visit the OSF HealthCare website.

Interview Clips

Nearly half of all U.S. adults live with hypertension, making it one of the nation's leading risk factors for cardiovascular disease and premature death. Despite its prevalence, both accurate diagnosis and effective long-term management of hypertension remain clinical challenges.

As one of only 42 health systems nationwide participating in PCORI’s Health Systems Implementation Initiative, OSF will use the project to strengthen patient-centered strategies for hypertension care in 123 adult primary care practice sites and over 100,000 patients. Over the next four years, key areas of collaboration include:  

•          Integrating proven, evidence-based strategies into care models
•          Leveraging digital tools to better engage patients in their care
•          Address barriers such as social determinants of health
•          Provide advanced training for care teams
•          Enhance data analytics to support improved health outcomes

“We are excited to collaborate across OSF and other national colleagues through this initiative, leveraging our collective resources to improve the care and experience of those we serve.” said Melinda Cooling, DNP, MBA, FAANP, chief nurse and advanced practice provider executive for OSF HealthCare. “It is our goal to provide team-based care for our patients with a digital component through OSF and to work with a multidisciplinary research team of physicians, advanced practice nurses, an anthropologist and Mission Partners within OSF to help patients better manage their blood pressure, reduce risks and improve their overall well-being. By translating research into practice, OSF will continue to demonstrate our commitment to innovation, exceptional clinical care, and delivering the highest quality support to those we have been called to serve.”

Building on the success of a recently completed capacity building project also funded by PCORI, this project will  improve hypertension management by implementing findings from a PCORI-funded comparative clinical effectiveness research (CER) study showing the comparative clinical effectiveness of clinic and telehealth-based models of hypertension care.

This funding award has been approved pending completion of PCORI’s business and programmatic review and issuance of a formal award contract.   

Learn more about the work between OSF and PCORI through the OSF HealthCare Accelerated podcast.

We’re approaching the late summer-early fall period when respiratory illnesses begin their annual upswing. The latest news from federal health officials concerns a new variant of COVID-19, NB.1.8.1. Some people impacted have reported severe sore throats, almost like there’s a razor blade in there.

Fred Burke, MD, an emergency medicine physician who sees patients at OSF HealthCare, says illnesses like COVID, RSV and the flu will always be around. It’s just a matter of taking precautions to avoid serious illness. So, what’s the level of concern with this new COVID variant as we begin to make fall plans?

The razor’s edge

Any sore throat is an annoyance. But Dr. Burke says you should monitor severe cases closely.

“You’re less likely to want to eat or drink, which can lead to further dehydration,” he says.

You can manage sore throats at home with Tylenol or ibuprofen, chloraseptic spray, warm tea and throat lozenges. Dr. Burke says if you have trouble keeping food or fluids down, feel lightheaded or dizzy or have trouble breathing, see a health care provider right away.

COVID precautions

Dr. Burke says this new COVID variant isn’t linked to as much severe illness as other variants. But, he says it’s more easily spread.

“The average healthy person might get through it with some [figurative] bumps and bruises and little to no symptoms. For people with comorbidities or who are immunocompromised, the virus might be a little bit more detrimental,” Dr. Burke says.

Getting vaccinated and practicing good hygiene are two big tools to avoid serious illness, he adds. Wash your hands and high touch surfaces, like doorknobs, often, don’t cough or sneeze into the open air and stay home and away from others when you don’t feel well. If you’re in a crowd, especially if you have a comorbidity like diabetes, Dr. Burke says you should consider wearing a mask.

“If you’re going to have a gathering, whether at home or somewhere else, you can also recommend people take a home test to make sure they don’t have COVID prior to going,” Dr. Burke suggests. Those at-home tests can usually be found over the counter at a pharmacy.

For vaccines, recent preliminary guidance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration recommends the shot this fall for people 65 and up. For others, the shot is recommended for people who have a compromised immune system or a comorbid condition like obesity, heart disease, high blood pressure, lung disease or depression. The website for the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, meanwhile, has a broader recommendation. When in doubt, Dr. Burke says to talk to your primary care provider.

Learn more

Explore other resources to keep yourself safe from COVID on the OSF HealthCare website, blog and newsroom.

Interview clips

Heart disease remains the leading cause of death in the United States. That’s from a new study in Circulation, a journal published by the American Heart Association (AHA).

According to the AHA, 941,00 people died from heart disease in the U.S. in 2022. Cancer deaths are second followed by accidental deaths.

Nancy Dagefoerde is a nurse practitioner with OSF HealthCare Cardiovascular Institute who closely monitors these trends. While the findings weren’t surprising, Dagefoerde says it’s a great reminder to patients and clinicians that heart health remains a top priority.

“It gives us information to talk to our patients about and for the public to see things that they might want to work on,” she says. “I think many people are concerned about other illnesses like cancer, but then we have these reports that tell us heart disease is still leading cause of death.” 

There are several risk factors for heart disease. The greatest risk is genetics, followed by threats that are preventable such as diabetes, high cholesterol and blood pressure, stress, lack of exercise and obesity. Nearly 47% of U.S. adults have high blood pressure, 57% have Type 2 diabetes or prediabetes and 42% have obesity.

And the risks impact all ethnicities, but some more than others.

“For example, many Hispanics are higher risk for diabetes,” says Dagefoerde. “African American women tend to have higher risk for obesity and hypertension. So, we really need to target those risks and realize that these are some things that we can work on to prevent that risk.”

There is, however, some good news.

High cholesterol rates have declined over the past few years. Dagefoerde credits that to more awareness about diet and lifestyle factors, as well as medications used to control cholesterol. And smoking rates are also on the decline. That includes both cigarettes and e-cigarette use.

“I was pleased to see that the smoking rates and vaping rates were down, and not only for adults but teenagers,” she says. “As for cholesterol, we have good treatment plans that are being utilized. Those are two very important things that are exciting.”

While there has been some progress, experts warn that if recent trends continue, hypertension, obesity and diabetes will reach staggering numbers. This will greatly impact people’s health as they age.

Dagefoerde adds that 80% of heart problems can be prevented. It starts by working on lifestyle issues – diet, exercise, sleep, no smoking and limit your alcohol consumption. It starts by educating yourself and working with your doctor to develop a plan.

“Bottom line, know your numbers, know your risks,” Dagefoerde says. “If you have a family risk, then you're going to be more diligent with working on your risk factors. And when I say know your numbers, you want to know your blood pressure, your blood sugar and your cholesterol levels. Those are some things that you and your health care provider can work on and when they make recommendations, listen to them, ask questions and work together on a good treatment plan that you're comfortable with.”

Because heart disease remains the number one killer, more reason everyone should know how to do CPR and be prepared to know where defibrillators are when you’re at a public event. Download the PulsePoint app to see where defibrillators are located.

For more information on heart and vascular services, visit the OSF HealthCare Cardiovascular Institute website.

Interview Clips 

As Saturday Night Live celebrates its 50^th anniversary, one thing it has been known for over the decades is the use of comedy to make a commentary on what’s happening in the world. Recently, 
it was a skit about how the only way to get a young man to an annual physical is to pretend it’s a podcast appearance.

OSF HealthCare primary care physician, Mfowethu Langeni, DO, said he heard about the skit and then watched it with appreciation.

“So hopefully this can help encourage people to change that mindset and change the framing and letting them know that we will see you even if you have no symptoms, no issues. Preventive health is equally as important as any other aspect of health care.”

Nearly 40% of Generation Z men (age 20-29) don’t have a primary care provider and millennial men (age 29-43) make up the second-highest number of men without regular primary care according to one study.

Using comedy to tell hard truths can be an effective tool so Dr. Langeni hopes the skit breaks through the perception of many young men – a feeling they are invincible and therefore don’t need medical attention unless they experience serious symptoms.

Research from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention also reveals young men have a misperception they are healthier than they are.

“A good portion of men between the age of 18 and 35 are actually in probably fair to poor condition as far as health is concerned. So, I think the first thing we do when you walk in the door in a primary doctor's office, we check your weight, we check your vitals, and we check blood pressure. Those are some really quick things that we can get, but it can tell a lot of information.”

For example, Dr. Langeni says Type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure don’t always have prominent symptoms right away and without an annual exam, they can go undetected for years. That poses the risk of irreversible harm. During an initial primary care visit, Dr. Langeni says he’ll also go over family history because there are some diseases, including cancer, that can be genetically linked.

“And so, if your father or mother or grandmother, uncle had a condition, you could also be predisposed to that condition as well. So, we address these things, we talk about these things, and then we come up with shared decision making and figure out what to do next.”

Research also shows men are increasingly turning to social media platforms such as Instagram and Tik Tok for their health information, often relying on influencers. That’s not all bad, says Dr. Langeni, but he says having a primary care provider as a trusted source is a great way to verify information from social media.

“I promote people getting information, but the big thing is just then take the information and then ask, ‘Hey, what's true? What's not true, or if it is, is this right for me?’ If it's not right for me, because everyone is individually different, having a primary doctor really will help to cater to your individual plan.”

With OSF MyChart, you can also easily access your primary care provider with questions about a variety of concerns, including medications, supplements, or issues that might arise between appointments. If it requires a referral to a specialist, your primary care provider can make that happen. Dr. Langeni suggests thinking of a primary care provider as someone who is a care coordinator and your advocate.

National statistics reveal other health realities men might consider. For example, men die by suicide at twice the rate of women and 40.5% of men over 20 have obesity. A primary care provider can help with lifestyle changes and medication, if necessary, to address obesity. Some mental health challenges can be managed at the primary care level, but Dr. Langeni says having a professional you trust to discuss stress, anxiety, depression or other concerns is crucial. Then, he says, your provider can recommend whether seeing a behavioral health specialist might be the best approach.

Just as you take your car in for a regular oil change, Dr. Langeni strongly suggests regular health maintenance with a primary care provider. Putting it another way, he emphasizes, “primary care is preventive care” and that’s nothing to laugh at. 

Dr. Mfowethu Langeni

Related story

Are you treating your care better than your body?

If you’ve read anything on the importance of vitamin D, you know that its many benefits range from making your teeth and bones strong, to supporting your muscles, nerves and immune system.

And now new research published in the Journal of the Endocrine Society has found that vitamin D supplements may lower blood pressure in older adults with obesity.

The study followed 221 older people who are considered obese taking vitamin D supplements at either 600 international units a day or 3,750 units a day, for an entire year. They found that the supplements decreased their blood pressure and that the higher doses of vitamin D did not provide additional health benefits.

It’s difficult to draw a conclusion from the study without knowing certain variables, such as where these people live and what their diet consists of. But there’s little doubt that vitamin D can affect blood pressure in several ways, according to Dipti Sabharwal, DO, a family practice physician with OSF HealthCare.

“The main role of vitamin D is it helps with calcium homeostasis. So that's maintaining your calcium levels in the body,” she says. “Calcium has many roles. It helps contract your blood vessels, and then it helps relax them as well. If we have normal amounts of vitamin D, then the calcium is working well, so the muscles can continue working normally.”

Dr. Sabharwal adds that vitamin D also helps with the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS), a hormone system that helps in regulating blood pressure.

Past research has found that vitamin D deficiency can cause an increased risk of falls in older adults, bone fractures, a risk of cardiovascular disease, some autoimmune diseases including Type 1 diabetes and even depression.  

“So very commonly, we use it for patients who have seasonal affective disorder or depression, especially during the winter months,” says Dr. Sabharwal. “We give them photo therapy or light therapy to help with the vitamin D levels in the body, and that has also shown to help with depression.”

The recommended daily amount of vitamin D varies, but Dr. Sabharwal says healthy adults should get between 600-800 international units per day. For people with a deficiency or experiencing osteoporosis, a doctor might recommend a higher dose. But too much isn’t always a good thing.

“If you have a lot of calcium, it can increase the risk of kidney stones. It can cause constipation and belly pain," says Dr. Sabharwal. "Those are some common side effects.”

Dr. Sabharwal says the first step is getting a blood test to find out if you are low in vitamin D and following your doctor’s advice regarding dosage, especially if you are older or obese.

Additionally, any supplements should be used in combination with a healthy diet, exercise and weight management. Foods rich in vitamin D include fatty fish, fortified dairy products and eggs. Sun exposure is another good way to absorb vitamin D, but that’s not always possible in the Midwest with its unpredictable winters.

One thing to keep in mind is that vitamin D supplements alone are not going to help lower blood pressure,” says Dr. Sabharwal. “It's really exercise and diet. Those are the two things that someone can do on their own to help lower blood pressure naturally.”

The bottom line, she adds, it’s better to take control of your blood pressure now before it becomes a problem down the road.

Interview Clips 

Do you really need that extra shake of salt on your fries? Because sodium is not your friend.

That’s according to a study published in the Journal of Internal Medicine that showed any significant reduction in the consumption of dietary salt can improve hypertension.

“Hypertension is high blood pressure, or where our arteries are experiencing too much pressure with the blood flow to our organs, and this can lead to things like end organ damage, and some things that are really serious like stroke and heart attack," says Lauren Hargrave, a physician assistant with OSF HealthCare." 

According to the American Heart Association (AHA), nine out of 10 Americans consume too much sodium and they don’t even know it. The average person eats more than 3,400 milligrams (mg) of sodium a day – the AHA recommends no more than 2,300 mg a day. Ideally, it would be less than 1,500 mg a day, especially for adults with high blood pressure.

Reducing sodium by just 1,000 mg a day can improve blood pressure and decrease the risk of cardiac issues. The study also found that lower sodium consumption reduced symptoms of depression and anxiety in some study participants.

“Hypertension is a very big issue," says Hargrave. "It affects a lot of people across all ages. And it really is something that is not always recognized because people can be asymptomatic or not have any symptoms until they come in and see us.”

Still, sodium is important to the human body. It helps control your body’s fluid balance and is important to nerve and muscle function. But too much sodium can cause your body to retain water increase puffiness, cause weight gain and can lead to high blood pressure.

The ideal blood pressure for adults is a systolic pressure (top number) of less than 120 and a diastolic pressure (bottom number) of less than 80. According to the AHA, Hypertension Stage 1 is when blood pressure consistently ranges from 130-139 systolic or 80-89 diastolic, Hypertension Stage 2 is when blood pressure consistently ranges at 140/90 or higher, and a crisis occurs if your blood pressure readings suddenly exceed 180/120.

“A lot of times the first time people hear that they have high blood pressures is in an office visit after we take vitals," says Hargrave. "They don't always know that they have high blood pressure at home and we call it the silent killer because a lot of times it is something that's not presenting with symptoms. We’re telling people that they have high blood pressure and explaining the importance of treatment. It is very treatable with medications with lifestyle changes, but if it's not recognized, that's when it can become dangerous.”

The best way to reduce the sodium in your diet is to stay clear of prepackaged, processed and prepared foods. Pay close attention to food labels – foods that have the most salt are breads, pizza, sandwiches, cold cuts, soup and tacos.

Other foods that have “hidden” amounts of sodium are cheeses, canned vegetables, frozen dinners, snack foods, and condiments such as ketchup and mustard.

If you’re cooking at home, avoid adding table salt to foods, flavor your meals with herbs, spices, lemon and lime. Opt for chicken, fish and lean meat rather than canned or processed meats, and rinse canned vegetables and beans to reduce the amount of sodium.

Restaurant meals are another source of high sodium. Study the menu before ordering, choose fresh fruits and vegetables when you can, ask for salad dressing on the side and request that your meal be prepared without added salt.

Exercise helps with overall heart health, which can help lower blood pressure. It also helps with weight reduction, which can also improve blood pressure. The key, according to medical experts, is paying attention to what you eat and make modifications when necessary.

“It can be potentially serious but it's treatable and manageable if you watch your salt intake and exercise and have a conversation with your doctor," says Dr. Tianyu Dong, a family practice physician with OSF HealthCare. 

For more information about hypertension, visit OSF HealthCare. 

 

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