Patient Teaching Plan for Stroke Prevention: Evidence-Based Intervention

Running head: PATIENT TEACHING PLAN 1
RN Health Assessment
Marilyn Hall Lawrence
Chamberlain College of Nursing
NR305 Health Assessment
June 9, 2018

EVIDENCE BASED INTERVENTION 2
Introduction
Lifestyles and dietary patterns play a role in the prevalence of many preventable diseases,
and identification of modifiable risk factors is important to promote behavioral change for people
at risk of diseases. Based on the review of health history of the client’s health history from the
milestone 1 assignment, the patient is at risk of stroke (preventable disease). This can be said
because the patient has a history of hypertension and high cholesterol, which are medical risk
factors for developing stroke. She is also taking aspirin and Clopidogrel medications to prevent
stroke. One modifiable risk factor associated with the risk of stroke in a patient is an inactive or
sedentary lifestyle. Physical activity is often targeted in a patient to prevent stroke and premature
death (Arboix, 2015). The main purpose of the report is to identify one evidence-based
intervention to eliminate the modifiable risk factors and develop a teaching plan for the patient to
effectively utilize the intervention to promote health and well-being.
Preventable Disease Overview
Stroke is a medical condition associated with sudden onset of weakness, paralysis,
disturbed speech and aphasia caused the sudden interruption of blood flow to the brain area. This
lack of blood flow to the brain mainly results because of blockage or narrowing of the arteries
(Caplan, 2016). Some common symptoms include speech difficulty, paralysis, gait disturbance
and blurred vision and the symptoms may vary individually based on the region of the brain
which is affected. Smoking, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and a diagnosis of diabetes
also increases the risk of stroke. The presence of high cholesterol, hypertension and uncontrolled
diabetes in the adult participant also helps to identify that the adult participant is at risk of stroke.
Arboix (2015) explains that hypertension is the leading risk factor for cerebrovascular disease.
Hence, controlling hypertension is necessary for prevention of stroke.

EVIDENCE BASED INTERVENTION 3
The diagnosis of stroke can be done by physical examination, blood test, CT scan, MRI
or echocardiogram. A CT scan and MRI can help to get a detailed view of the brain and identify
damage to the brain tissue caused by ischemic stroke and brain hemorrhage. In addition, blood
tests can help to detect levels of blood sugars and blood clotting time to diagnose strokes (Urden,
Stacy & Lough, 2017). Physical assessment to identify patients with stroke also includes getting
the patient’s medical history, stroke’s cause and assessment of the degree of neurological deficit
in the patient (Jarvis, 2016). Physical examination is essential to rule out differential diagnosis
and identify the prognosis or complication in the patient (McGee, 2016).
Evidence-Based Intervention
The adult participant is at risk of developing stroke because of the presence of several
modifiable risk factors such as hypertension and diabetes. In patients with diabetes and
hypertension, sedentary lifestyle is one factor that increases the risk of high blood pressure and
cardiovascular disease. Lack of physical activity levels influence the mortality and morbidity
related to chronic diseases (Ezeugwu, Garga & Manns, 2017). According to Saunders, Mead,
Fitzsimons, Kelly, van Wijck, Verschuren & English, (2018) interventions to increase physical
activity are the most common recommendation for stroke rehabilitation and secondary
prevention. The study by Boysen et al. (2009) describes one evidence- based intervention to
promote physical activity in patients at risk of stroke. It used behavioral approach to motivate
stroke survivors to increase their physical activity levels. The main rationale for choosing this
intervention was that it looked to address the barrier to participation in physical activity
programmes and foster motivation in patient to promote behavioral change. The advantage of
behavioral intervention is that tailored intervention can be developed to eliminate barriers and