Preventing Cardiovascular Disorders in Older Adults: Management Strategies and Treatment

This poster aims to educate the older adults of the nation and nursing professionals about preventing cardiovascular disorders. The poster highlights the overall scenario of the nation, burden of the disorder in the older Australian population, and why nurses need to know. It also provides information on the risks factors for CVD in older people and management strategies and treatment for high blood pressure, high level of cholesterol, diabetes, physical inactivity, being overweight and obese, and smoking. The poster concludes with recommendations about screening and risk assessments for risk reduction.

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Overall scenario in the nation:
• Cardiovascular disorders and coronary heart diseases are
considered the chief contributor to the diseases burden in
the nation
• National figures provided by the Department of Health in
the nation shows that the rates increase remarkably with
age for both the males as well as the females.
• High blood pressure was seen to be the commonest
factor and increased in prevalence to about 41% of those
aged 65 years as well as over (Davis et al., 2015)
• Data provided by Heart foundation that CVD was the
main cause of 490000 hospitalisations in 2014-2015. The
number had increased by 8% from 2004-2005 to 2014-
2015
• Reports suggest that CVD increases with age with 35%
from cohorts aged 55-65 reporting long term CVD
increasing to about 66% of Australians aged 75 years and
over.
• Individuals aged 65 years and more having at least two
major risk factors were six times more likely to be seen
dying from CVD by the age 80 in comparison to this
who have no or only one risk factor for CVD
MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES AND TREATMENT:
• EDUCATING PATIENTS ABOUT DIETARY
FACTORS
Lowering cholesterol and blood pressure levels
Eating plenty of vegetables, fruits and whole grains
Low fat dairy products, poultry fish and legumes, non
tropical vegetable oils, nuts
Limit intake of sweetened beverages, sweets and red
meats
Reduce saturated and trans fat intake
Consume no more than 2400 mg of sodium a day
and reducing the sodium intake to 1500 mg a day
• PHYSICAL ACTIVITY RECOMMENDATIONS:
Regular physical activity reduces cholesterol and
blood pressure thereby reducing chances of heart
disorders
Aged adults should engage in aerobic physical
activities 3-4 times in a week with each sessions
lasting for 40 minutes (consult with expert regarding
capability)
Moderate activities like brisk walking or jogging to
that of vigorous exercises like running or biking as per
the capability for reduction of cholesterol levels
• CONSUMPTIONS OF LESS ALCOHOL AND
TOBACCO:
Reduction of the number of cigarettes and drinking of
alcohol to minimum and gradually quit with the
practices
Undertake quit tobacco planning with experts
Undertake motivational interviewing and cognitive
behavioural therapy to overcome such habits
Physical inactivity:
being inactive and leading a sedentary lifestyle increases
the chance of developing the disorder by two times in
comparison that are physically active. Therefore,
undertaking moderate to vigorous exercises for about 30
minutes can lessen the chances
Being overweight and obese
: these factors also increases the risk for cardiovascular
disorders directly as well as indirectly by influencing
other disorders like hypertension, diabetes, arthritis and
other types of cancer along with raising blood cholesterol
levels
RECOMMENDATIONS ABOUT SCREENING AND RISK
ASSESSMENTS for RISK REDUCTION:
• Bimonthly or tri-monthly screening sessions should be attended
by the vulnerable patients to identify the presence of absence of
any risk factors of the disorder
• Learn to self-measure the blood pressure levels
• Conduct blood tests to identify levels of cholesterol
• Check BMI with healthcare experts to understand fitness status
whether obesity is present or not (Bauman et al., 2016)
• Conduct overall health check up twice a year
• Learn about the risk factors, worsening symptoms of heart issues
and report immediately if uneasy is felt
References:
Bauman, A., Merom, D., Bull, F. C., Buchner, D. M., & Fiatarone Singh, M. A. (2016). Updating the evidence for physical
activity: summative reviews of the epidemiological evidence, prevalence, and interventions to promote “active aging”. The
Gerontologist, 56(Suppl_2), S268-S280. https://doi.org/10.1093/geront/gnw031
Davis, C. R., Bryan, J., Hodgson, J. M., Wilson, C., Dhillon, V., & Murphy, K. J. (2015). A randomised controlled intervention trial
evaluating the efficacy of an Australianised Mediterranean diet compared to the habitual Australian diet on cognitive function,
psychological wellbeing and cardiovascular health in healthy older adults (MedLey study): Protocol paper. BMC Nutrition, 1(1), 35.
https://doi.org/10.1186/s40795-015-0033-7
Ding, D., Rogers, K., van der Ploeg, H., Stamatakis, E., & Bauman, A. E. (2015). Traditional and emerging lifestyle risk behaviors
and all-cause mortality in middle-aged and older adults: evidence from a large population-based Australian cohort. PLoS
Risks factors for CVD in older people:
Smoking:
smoking twice likely seen to increase the chances of heart
attack in comparison to those who never smoked.
Stopping smoking is one of the best ways for preventing
heart disorders. It results in building of fatty materials in
the arteries which narrow them affecting blood flow
through heart and different parts of body stopping
normal functioning of heart.
.
High blood pressure:
this is one of the most significant of the occurrence of the
disorder in the older generations. It increases the risk for
the individuals being affected by CVD and hence, it needs
to be kept within normal range
High level of cholesterol:
Cholesterol is fatty substances which are produced by the
body and also obtained from animal source. Excess
cholesterol can form plaques in between the layers of
artery walls. This makes it harder for circulating blood and
increases the risk of CVD
Diabetes:
researchers have found that old people who suffer from
diabetes or increased blood sugar level, they remain at
larger risk for development of CVD. It is important for
patients to keep such risk factors under control.
• Burden of the disorder in the older Australian
population:
• At an individual disease level, coronary heart disorders
was found to be the leading cause of the burden of
diseases for the older cohorts
• This is then followed by dementia and then by chronic
obstructive pulmonary disorders
• In men, coronary artery disease was the leading cause of
burden of disease that accounted for about 14% of the
total diseases burden which is the followed by 6.5% of
COPD and then by lung cancer accounting to 5.8%
(Davis et al., 2015)
• In women, the coronary artery disorder was seen to be
accounted for 11% of the burden which is followed by
10% of the dementia and 6.3% of stroke.
Why nurses need to know:
• One can come to the conclusion that the cardiovascular
disorder health risks are more prevalent in the old age
cohort of the population.
• This increases disease burden of the nation along with
several emotional, mental, physical as well as financial
suffering of the people and their families.
• Therefore, nurses need to be very careful and learn
proper preventative measures by which they can help in
reduction of the prevalence with the nation.
Audience of the poster:
•The old adults of the nation who are 65
years or older
•the nursing professionals who work in
aged care specialties and would be
caring for patients who are 65 years old
or above would be using this as well