Brechin author's book on how to improve blood pressure
A BRECHIN woman who worked as a medical cardiologist at Ninewells Hospital for six years has released her first book; Blood Pressure - The Essential Guide.
The book by Dr Justine Davies is a practical guide which can help people improve their blood pressure readings, whether they are high or low.
Presented in an easy to digest, jargon free format, the book provides up to date facts and professional advice on how simple changes to your lifestyle can improve your health.
Dr Davies, who lives on the outskirts of the town, left the NHS in 2006 after ten years experience as a doctor to become a medical writer and journalist.
She treated countless numbers of patients with both high and low blood pressure, but felt frustrated that she couldn't answer all her patients' questions during appointments.
Her book, she hopes, will fill in those gaps.
She said: "When you're sitting in a clinic you have 10 minutes to see each patient – it's never enough time to tell them everything they want to know.
"Hopefully the book will be like having our own personal doctor. It outlines everything a cardiologist wants to tell all their patients."
Of those adults known to suffer from high blood pressure in Scotland, it is estimated that in 95% of cases, there is no known underlying condition to cause it.
In the majority of cases lifestyle is the cause and the book looks at ways people can address that at home.
Drug and alternative therapies are covered, along with diet and exercise tips.
Knowing how to the deal with the condition is one thing, but the importance of monitoring blood pressure is not always understood and Dr Davies' book explains how crucial it is and how it can help avoid health complications.
One challenge facing doctors when dealing with HBP is the lack of enthusiasm from patients when it comes to taking their advice and adhering to treatment programmes.
Part of that problem, says Dr Davies, is that people don't see the need if they don't fully understand the condition and the treatments. She hopes the book will help people gain a better understanding of the condition and thus improve the chances of successful treatment.
She said: "I think people do better in terms of getting on top of their disease if they understand it. The book explains the basic facts about what HBP is and goes into medical treatments and treatments the patient can do themselves at home; both medicinally and by changing lifestyle.
"People get all these tablets etc., but they don't know what's in them. The book talks about the tablets, what is in them, what you should ask your doctor, why you'd want to take them and even why - in some cases - you wouldn't.
"I don't think you can get people to do something unless you tell them you're doing it – that goes for both medicine and lifestyle."
If the contents of the book were difficult to understand, the information within would be useless, but Dr Davies said it has already passed her own home-made acid-test.
She said: "My mother isn't in the least bit scientific so I gave her the book to make sure it was okay. She read it and – thankfully - she understood it!"
A first book is always a momentous moment for any writer and Justine is no different.
She said: "It was really exciting when I got the book back. I hope that people look at it and find it useful."
Published by Need2Know Blood Pressure – The Essential Guide is available now from the Need2Know website at www.need2knowbooks.co.uk, by calling 01733 898103 or emailing sales@n2kbooks.com. Copies of the book can also be obtained from Amazon and all good bookshops.
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Friday 25 May 2012
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