What Health Care Providers Can Do

Studies show that patients value advice from their health care providers; therefore, health care providers have a unique opportunity to influence their patients' health habits. Partnering with patients around basic prevention, in addition to treatment, of disease can reduce existing cardiovascular disease (CVD) as well as prevent major risk factors from developing. Educating and counseling on lifestyle interventions such as smoking cessation, regular physical activity, heart-healthy diet and weight maintenance will have a significant impact on patients' health. Addressing systems change can also have a substantial impact on the quality of care in a practice.

The Chronic Care Model

The Maine Cardiovascular Health Program (MCVHP) promotes the use of the Chronic Care Model for Maine clinicians and patients through technical assistance and partnerships with State-level organizations. Click here for a complete description of the Chronic Care Model. It includes a variety of tools and resources.

Here are some tools and guidelines to assist you and your office team in your daily practice:

Treat to evidence-based guidelines. Integrate guidelines into daily clinical
practice.

AHA Guidelines for Primary Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease and Stroke: 2002 Update: Consensus Panel Guide to Comprehensive Risk Reduction for Adult Patients Without Coronary or Other Atherosclerotic Vascular Diseases, Circulation 2002 Jul 16

AHA/ACC Guidelines for Secondary Prevention

American Heart Association Guide for Improving Cardiovascular Health at the Community Level

AHA Guidelines for Women

- Hypertension
- Normal <120/80mmHg
- Prehypertension 120 - 139/80 - 89mmHg
- Hypertension >140/90mmHg (Diabetics >130/80mmHg
The Seventh Report of the Joint National Committee on the Prevention, Detection, Evaluation, and Treatment of High Blood Pressure:

JNC 7 Reference Sheet
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), National Institutes of Health (NIH)

JNC 7 Express
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), National Institutes of Health (NIH) 2003. This special version of the updated clinical practice guidelines for hypertension is written for the busy primary care clinician.

- High Blood Cholesterol

LDL Cholesterol - Primary Target of Therapy
<100 Optimal
100 - 129 Near optimal/above optimal
130 - 159 Borderline high
160 - 189 High
>190 Very high

Total Cholesterol
<200 Desirable
200 - 239 Borderline high
>240 High

HDL Cholesterol
<40 Low
>60 High

The Third Report of the Expert Panel on Detection, Evaluation, and Treatment of High Blood Cholesterol in Adults (Adult Treatment Panel III):

ATP III At-A-Glance: Quick Desk Reference

ATP III Executive Summary

ATP III Implications of Recent Clinical Trials for the ATP III Guidelines

Provide counseling and support around the following:

Weight management

Sodium reduction - DASH diet: low Na, higher K/Ca

More fruits and vegetables, low fat options

Physical activity

Alcohol in moderation
Empower and prepare patients to manage their health and health care. Help set attainable patient self-management goals. Follow up and monitor patient goals over time.
Mobilize community resources. Form partnerships with community
organizations to support and develop resources to meet needs of patients.
Implement and utilize Clinical Information Systems as a tool in practice management. Track patient laboratory tests and measures and provide timely reminders for providers and patients.

For more resources, click here.