Module 7: CV Risk Assessment Powerpoint Flashcards
Benefits of assessment for CV risk and management of risk factors?
- reduce a person’s chances of developing CV disease, diabetes, and other diseases of aging and lifestyle inc cancer, arthritis, and obesity
- Assessment of cardiovascular risk plays an extremely important part in determining an individual’s lifetime health status CV risk assessment looks at all the risk factors present in an individual, including family history and blood parameters, to make an overall estimate of risk and plan for management
2 reasons why the first interaction with a patient is critical during CV assessment?
- Assess general appearance including apparent compared to chronologic age, weight, fitness level, mood, receptiveness, smell (e.g., cigarette smoke)
- Develop rapport w/patient to let them know u are
there to help them
What should the Initial interaction with patient consist of
- Start w/discussion of reason for assessment:
–> to help the person reduce their risk of heart attacks
and strokes as well as diabetes, and help them improve
lifestyle factors that will keep them healthy
Thus ask GENERAL QUESTIONS: age, occupation, marital status, children and REASONS(s) they are here for ASSESSMENT
When asking for the presence of vascular disease symptoms or history, what specific diseases should be asked?
- Any history of heart attack, bypass surgery or angioplasty, stroke, mini-stroke (transient ischemic attack or TIA), pancreatitis?
- Have any tests shown evidence of CHD or other vascular disease (exercise stress test, MIBI scan, carotid ultrasound, leg blood flow studies)?
What is secondary prevention vs. primary prevention?
- Secondary Prevention = trying to prevent further progression or recurrence of disease once it is already present
- Primary Prevention = No known disease
When asking for the presence of dyslipidemia or history, what specific factors should be asked?
- Any history of cholesterol or triglyceride elevation? What were highest levels? Has HDL been low?
- If so, what has been done about it? (diet changes, lipid
medications, changes in weight, exercise routine) - What are the recent lipid profile results if done? (need lab report)
What should be documented in terms of medications?
Document all medications and doses, including
prescriptions, ASA, over-the-counter meds and nutritional
supplements
1. Document all treatments tried (mention names such as
Zocor, Lipitor, Crestor, niacin, Lipidil, Lopid, Ezetrol, fish
oil/omega-3 fatty acids, flax oil, over-the-counter lipid
treatments)
2. Document side effects
3. Did side effects disappear after stopping, and how long did it take for symptoms to resolve?
About 1 in ____ people has an inherited lipid disorder
1 in 40
How to know if you are likely dealing with an INHERITED lipid disorder
If total cholesterol is > 6.5 mmol/L, or LDL-C > 4.5 mmol/L, or triglycerides > 4 mmol/L, or HDL-C < 0.7 mmol/L
What questions to ask about smoking?
- If a current smoker, how much and how long (pack years)?
- Same for previous smokers plus quit date
- Is the person contemplating quitting?
- Have they tried to quit previously?
- If so, what methods did they use (cold turkey, cutting
down and quitting, nicotine patch or gum, Zyban/Wellbutrin, Champix)? - Do they want to quit now?
- If quit, are they “well quit”?
What is the #1 priority in reducing their risk of vascular disease
Emphasize quitting smoking
Emphasize very dangerous combination of smoking and
_____ as a cause of early heart attacks and strokes
elevated cholesterol
When asking for the presence of elevated blood sugar or known diabetes, what specific factors should be asked?
- Any prior known blood sugar elevation?
- Women: any gestational diabetes?
- If diabetic, when diagnosed? Home glucose testing?
Typical numbers? Attendance at a diabetes education
program? Medications used - Recent fasting blood glucose/HbA1c
- Any diabetes in family?
You should emphasize ___% risk of diabetes if it’s in the family, and ability of healthy diet/regular exercise to prevent development of diabetes
50%
When asking for the presence of high blood pressure, what specific factors should be asked?
- Any history of high BP?
- If so, since when and how long using medication for it?
- Does patient do home BP or pharmacy BP monitoring?
- If so, what are typical recent values?
When asking for the current exercise regime, what specific factors should be asked?
- Is patient doing regular exercise? Is this for exercise sake, or part of daily activities?
- If so: type, duration, frequency? If it is “daily”, how many days per week?
- If not, how come? What are things preventing person from exercising?
- What are possible ways for person to start walking or some other simple exercise?
- How will they fit this into their daily/weekly work and life routine?
- Any limitations in exercise capacity due to other diseases?
What is a good way to start exercise?
Classes including a Cardiac Rehab Program may be a good way to start exercise
When asking for the weight history, what specific factors should be asked?
- Is the person’s weight stable?
- If overweight, how long has that been present?
- Attempts at weight loss
- Emphasize healthy eating and regular exercise are more important than focusing on weight
When asking for the stress history, what specific factors should be asked?
- On a scale of 0 to 10, w/10 being the worst, what is their
current level of stress, anxiety, or depression (one score
for each)? - If present, what are the main reasons for that stress/anxiety/depression?
- If scores are high, how are they dealing with it?
- What are sleep patterns like? Sleep apnea is common and a CV risk factor as well
When asking for the alcohol history, what specific factors should be asked?
- How many drinks per week or per month?
- If intake high, discuss any problems associated w/drinking prevention
- Mention need to reduce intake to help control lipids,
reduce weight, improve health
Why is alcohol bad for CV risk?
May increase weight, worsen lipids (mainly triglycerides)
When asking history of other major illnesses, what specific factors should be asked?
Specific q’s about: arthritis, thyroid disease, kidney or liver disease, gout, lung disease
Which medications can worsen dyslipidemia
- thiazide diuretics,
- beta blockers,
- estrogen,
- corticosteroids,
- anti-rejection medications,
- anti-HIV medications,
- retinoids (for acne)