Question

A nurse is conducting cholesterol screening for a manufacturing corporation during a health fair. a 50-year-old man who is 6 feet (183 cm) tall and weighs 293 pounds (133 kg) puts out his cigarette and asks the nurse how to modify his risk factors for coronary artery disease. on which risk factors should the nurse help the client focus? select all that apply.

Answer 1

There are many risk factors for coronary artery disease and it is important to know and understand them in order to prevent cardiovascular morbidities and mortality. Risk factors might be:

• Conventional (non-modifiable) such as age, family history of early heart disease, race

• Modifiable (patient can modify them) such as high blood cholesterol levels, obesity (weight), smoking, lack of physical activity, stress and depression…

Answer 2

According to the text, there are several tips to give to women to reduce their cardiovascular risk:

1. Stop smoking because smoking is a cardiovascular risk factor.  This damages the coronary arteries.

2. Adopt a diet and diet with physical activity, to lose weight and lower his BMI 25 or less (ie its weight must be 83 kg or less). Its LDL-cholesterol should be kept below 1.6 g / l.

Age and family history are also risk factors but can not be changed.