CVD prevention in women

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I have been a subscriber to allnurses for the past couple of months and have really appreciated reading the threads and comments! I am currently in nursing school and studying the cardiovascular system and would love some feedback on CVD prevention in women. According to current research, the the guidelines from the AHA "should" arm healthcare providers with adequate knowledge to identify women at high risk for developing CDH and to enhance the use of preventive CHD measures even before symptoms become apparent. However, CVD is still the leading cause of death in women (over half a million die a year). My question is how can nurses better implement AHA guidelines into assessment for women to work with women and assist them in becoming aware of their risks and hopefully preventing the development of CHD? the Framingham Point Score Estimate is indicated by the AHA as initial intervention for risk assessment, but I am curious as to how many nurses out there have actually used the Framingham Point Score Estimate? Also, although smoking cessation is key in eliminating risk for developing CVD, many people choose that addiction over prevention. What can nurses really do, the AHA has great standards and all, but smoking cessation is not exactly easy! Any help would be extremely appreciated! Thank you for your time and consideration!:mad:

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Specializes in Cardiac Cath and Critical Care transport.

It seems CAD risk factors have been stated over and over in the media. I find it hard to believe most people don't already know the risk factors. How many times have people heard the following:

Don't smoke

Low fat diets, take a stain drug for lipid issues

Control Hypertension, control Na intake and take BP meds as indicated

exercise

Lose weight

Get regular checkups

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Some books you might find interesting are The China Study by Thomas Campbell and Eat to Live by Joel Fuhrman.

The China Study is actually a research book and basically states that most heart disease is caused by consuming animal products. Countries that consume the least amounts, have little to no heart disease. A generation or two after those races move to countries with American style diets, their heart disease is as bad as anyone else's. Same for their cancer, diabetes etc.

The China Study is a very, very good book if you can get your hands on it.

Good luck with your studies!

Tofutti

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Specializes in Med/Surg, Perinatal, Float.

"The China Study is a very, very good book if you can get your hands on it."

I recently read this book and couldn't put it down, fascinating info, and hard to dismiss. Research like this is being repeated over and over but it is so hard to change our culture's way of thinking about what we eat!!

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Specializes in cardiology.
It seems CAD risk factors have been stated over and over in the media. I find it hard to believe most people don't already know the risk factors. How many times have people heard the following:

Don't smoke

Low fat diets, take a stain drug for lipid issues

Control Hypertension, control Na intake and take BP meds as indicated

exercise

Lose weight

Get regular checkups

From what I've seen, lipid control seems to be an issue, at least in the primary care realm.

I can't tell you how many times, when taking a history before doing a stress test on a patient, folks told me that they had high cholesterol, and their doc was "just watching it" .... Just watching it do what?? Did they LIKE to watch plaque form??:trout:

Just my 2 cents .... this could be handled much better

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