Cardiovascular Disorders Overview

Cardiovascular Disorders

• Non-modifiable risk factors:
  • Age: Greater than 65 years
  • Sex: Male over 65 years
  • Family history: Hypertension or cardiovascular diseases
  • Ethnicity: Higher prevalence in African, Indigenous and South Asian populations
• Modifiable risk factors:
  • Hypertension
  • High cholesterol levels
  • Diabetes
  • Pre-diabetes
  • Smoking
  • Obesity
  • High salt or low potassium diet
  • Lack of exercise
  • Chronic stress
• Hypertension:
  • It is a chronic medical condition
  • High force of blood against artery walls
  • Increases risk of cardiovascular events
    • Myocardial infarction (heart attack)
    • Cerebrovascular accident (stroke)
    • Chronic kidney disease (CKD)
  • Categorized by systolic and diastolic blood pressure values
  • Ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) can confirm hypertension diagnosis.

Management

Comprehensive Assesment

• Patient history:
  • Family history of hypertension or cardiovascular diseases, lifestyle habits (diet, exercise, smoking, alcohol).
• Physical assessment:
  • Check for signs of end-organ damage (e.g., chest pain, vision changes, oedema)
• Nursing diagnoses:
  • Ineffective Health Maintenance
  • Risk for Decreased Cardiac Output
  • Risk for Stroke
  • Fluid Volume Excess related to impaired renal function

Lifestyle modifications

• DASH Diet (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension):
  • High in fruits, vegetables, low-fat dairy, whole grains
  • Low in sodium and saturated fats
• Sodium restriction:
  • Aim for less than 2.4 g per day
• Exercise:
  • Minimum 30 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise most days of the week
• Weight management:
  • Maintain a healthy body mass index
• Alcohol:
  • Moderate consumption (1-2 drinks per day for men, 1 drink per day for women)
• Smoking cessation:
  • Quitting smoking is essential for cardiovascular health
• Stress management:
  • Find healthy ways to manage stress
• Medication:
  • Antihypertensive medications:
    • Diuretics
    • Beta-blockers
    • ACE inhibitors
    • Calcium channel blockers
    • Angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARBs)