How can patients with chronic diseases protect themselves?

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Everyone is the first person responsible for his or her own health, and personal protection should not be slackened. Patients with chronic diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, coronary heart disease, and chronic bronchitis have weaker immune systems, so itis important to do well in self-protection.

Strengthen self-health management

❖ Prepare all medications and take them on time as required by doctors, closely observe the changes of symptoms and progress of the disease, and strengthen the contact with doctors.

❖ Adhere to treatment without stopping medication. Patients with chronic diseases must take medication on time, regularly and in a standardized manner. Sudden discontinuation of medication may cause relapse of the disease and aggravation of the disease, so it is important to adhere to the standardization and rationality in the process of medication administration.

❖ Strengthen the monitoring of chronic diseases (such as blood pressure and blood sugar values) and keep records. Medications taken should also be fully recorded for online consultation or needed for medical consultation.

❖ In the event of fever, dry cough, malaise, nasal congestion, runny nose, sore throat, decreased sense of smell and taste, conjunctivitis, myalgia and diarrhea, promptly seek medical attention according to standardized procedures and be proactive in informing the 14-day activity track and exposure history. Wear a mask throughout the journey to the doctor and avoid taking public transportation.

❖ Eat a reasonable diet and eat more fruits and vegetables. Eat a variety of foods, mainly cereals, coarse and fine, more fruits and vegetables, dairy, soybeans and other foods, and less oily, high salt and pickled foods. Quit smoking and limit alcohol, and get enough sleep.

❖ Follow medical advice and exercise in moderation. Patients with chronic diseases can choose appropriate exercise according to their condition and exercise at home in a gradual and progressive manner.

❖ Maintain a positive and optimistic attitude and communicate more with family or friends. Keeping a happy mood and having a healthy psychology will have a certain effect on the cure of the disease.

Maintain a healthy lifestyle

❖ Reduce gathering activities. Avoid unnecessary parties, dinners, outings and visits, and avoid going to crowded and poorly ventilated public places.

❖ Mask must be worn when going out. When you go out to public places or take public transportation, you must wear a mask properly. Pay attention to the front and back of the mask; press the nose frame on the mask tightly so that it fits with the face; do not touch the mask frequently with your fingers and do not pull the mask down below the nose frequently.

❖ Maintain hand hygiene. Reduce contact with public objects and parts of public places. Wash your hands with hand sanitizer or soap in running water or use hand-free sanitizer when returning from public places, before and after meals. Avoid touching your mouth, nose and eyes with your hands.

❖ Observe cough etiquette. Use tissues or bend your elbows to cover your mouth and nose when coughing and sneezing to prevent the spread of droplets. Do not rub your eyes or touch mucous membrane areas after sneezing.

❖ Maintain good hygiene habits. Open windows regularly and ventilate your home frequently. Family members should not share towels, keep the home and dishes clean, and dry clothes and blankets regularly. Do not spit anywhere, and throw nasal and mouth secretions into a covered garbage bin wrapped in paper towels.

Do personal protection during medical visits

❖ During the epidemic, patients with chronic diseases should minimize the number of visits to hospitals. When your condition is stable, do not go to the hospital or go to the hospital less often. If your condition changes, you can contact your doctor first.

If you do need to go to the hospital, you should know in advance the opening status of the hospital and the reservation status. Be prepared to protect yourself during the visit.

Patients and family members should take precautions to avoid taking public transportation. After touching public facilities, avoid touching the mouth, eyes and nose with your hands, wash or disinfect your hands in a timely and standardized manner, and carry hand-free disinfectant or disinfectant wipes with you.

❖ Patients with chronic diseases should standardize their medical care and reduce their stay in the hospital as much as possible. Patients should try to keep a distance of more than 1 meter from others when seeking medical treatment, examination and taking medicine. Listen to the doctor's arrangement and do only necessary tests and treatments. If hospitalization is required, strictly follow the hospital management rules.

Change clothes immediately after medical treatment and dispose of masks and gloves in a timely manner when patients return home. Wash hands, face and other exposed areas regularly. Minimize outdoor activities, avoid contact with other people, and do self-health monitoring after the medical visit.

Reviewers.

Yu Jing, Deputy Chief Physician, Department of Geriatric Endocrinology, Jiangsu Provincial People's Hospital (The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University)

Lu Shan, Deputy Director of Outpatient Department, Slow Disease Clinic, Jiangsu Provincial People's Hospital (The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University)

Comprehensive Health Jiangsu

Source: Weixun Jiangsu