This post was authored by Jane Cassel, PA-C, cardiovascular team member of the ACC’s Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease Section Leadership Council.

Working in an acute coronary unit exposes me to several situations that cause me to think about the future of heart disease that provides me with a source of employment. Census data show that coronary artery disease and related mortality has decreased significantly in the recent decades, however, heart disease is still the number one killer among men and women in certain age groups in the U.S. Even with that information, fighting the disease from progressing continues to be a goal that I don’t see will ever become a null product.

When discharging a patient from our unit, often a patient will ask, “Why did this happen to me?”  A good percentage of the time, I can safely identify any number of causes and the patient reluctantly agrees with a slow nod of their head.  Sometimes, however, I am confounded as the patient. The “selling” of the disease process and subsequent treatment, then becomes a true case of “selling ice cream to an Eskimo.” Explaining the immediate fix with interventions versus the long term fix with behavioral changes such as smoking and dietary changes, can be met with blank stares, open anticipation or flat out disdain.

I try desperately to figure out the magic formula to make the process easier to digest at an extremely stressful and anxiety ridden time. I have concluded that each situation is different and each patient is going to focus on a process that I may not be able to direct. Some of the time, nutrition is very high on their list and sometimes it is not.  What I have tried to do is expose the patients to the information, and re-enforce, concepts they are receptive to, but also note areas that are going to need further reinforcement when they become an outpatient.

A lot of time, breaking up the information overload is helpful. Changing eating behaviors is difficult and success can be afforded if we can emphasis the following: 1) demonstrate it will make a difference; 2) it can be individualized; 3) accountability and reinforcement tools are available and 4) support and face-to-face encounters are available, if needed.

Here are a few nutrition-related tools that can provide further support:

1. CardioSmart.org – provides resources on how to maintain a heart-healthy diet.
2. ChooseMyPlate.gov – provides practical information to individuals, health professionals, nutrition educators, and the food industry to help consumers build healthier diets with resources and tools for dietary assessment, nutrition education, and other user-friendly nutrition information.
3. Preventive Cardiovascular Nurses Association’s Healthy Heart Toolbox – a compilation of resources to support heart healthy lifestyle education for adult patients in both the cardiology and primary care settings.

This post is part of a series of posts for American Heart Month. Check out the “Taking Charge of Your Portions” infographic below. To view a complete list of ACC infographics, visit ACC.org.

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