Heart disease

A new program, Get With the Guidelines, is playing an important role in heart disease prevention by significantly increasing the number of health care providers who follow the American Heart Association (AHA) guidelines for preventing second heart attacks.

If you, or someone close to you, were experiencing the first warning signs of a heart attack, would you know what to do? Chances are, the average American would have difficulty answering “yes” to that question, according to a study published earlier this year by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

According to U.S. Surgeon General David Satcher, African Americans are twice as likely to suffer a stroke than whites, making them more susceptible to stroke than any other ethnic group. Satcher spoke out on this health disparity during a stroke-screening event in Rockville, Md., called “Stroke Sunday.”

By now, you are probably all too aware of the toll heart disease, hypertension, and diabetes are taking on minority communities. But what can you do to curb the trend in the patients you treat—and in yourself?

Among the many electrolytes, potassium stands out; one nurse educator offers some tips for advocating potassium in practice

Over 25 million Americans currently have diabetes. Perhaps more troubling is the 18.7% of all non-Hispanic blacks aged 20 years or older who currently have the disease. Fortunately, nurses can help combat this trend by fostering a partnership with optometrists, a key ally in early diabetes detection and prevention.