Vital Signs
New Program Helps Reduce Risk of Reoccurring Heart Attacks
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)’s guidelines for preventing second heart attacks. This program is especially important for minority patients because coronary disease is the leading cause of death and disability among racial and ethnic groups.
The need for this program was revealed in recent reports that found doctors and hospitals were not always following these guidelines. In a 1999 Journal of the American Medical Association article, researchers found only half of the eligible candidates for second heart attacks received beta-blockers, slightly more than half received ACE inhibitors and only two-thirds were treated with clot busters.
This treatment gap may be a contributing factor in many reoccurring heart attacks and other cardiovascular events. According to AHA statistics, within six years after an attack, 18% of men and 35% of women will have another heart attack, and about 22% of men and 46% of women will be disabled with heart failure.
Get With the Guidelines is an AHA in-hospital program that notably improved the number of individuals receiving standardized care for heart disease--including drugs to lower cholesterol and blood pressure, smoking cessation counseling and referrals to physical activity programs.
As part of Get With the Guidelines, hospitals focus on ongoing data measurement and rapid movement cycles using a Web-based, real-time patient management tool. The tool provides hospitals with immediate access to the guidelines customized for each patient to reduce risk factors.
Similar Articles
- IHS Receives Research Grants and a New Headquarters
- Nursing Boards Endorse “Americans For Nursing Shortage Relief” Initiative
- Organizations Unite to Increase Seat Belt Use Among African Americans
- Nursing Education Bills Need Your Support
- Correlation Found Between Poor Nutrition and Disease for African Americans
Featured Content
EVENT
TITLE: Association for Medical Education and Research in Substance Abuse (AMERSA) 33rd National Conference ORGANIZATION: Association for Medical Education and Research in Substance AbuseEMPLOYER
NAME: University of Washington Medical Center LOCATION: Seattle, WA DESCRIPTION:Located in Seattle, University of Washington Medical Center provides comprehensive primary care services and serves as a regional referral and treatment center for specialized medical care. Recognized as the first Magnet* hospital in the U.S., our commitment to nursing excellence has been honored for an unprecedented fourth consecutive time — the only hospital in the world to achieve this — and serves as a testament to our dedication to our staff.
READ MORE READ ALLJOB POSTING
POSITION: Tenure- and Clinical-Track Faculty Positions EMPLOYER: The University of Alabama DESCRIPTION:The Capstone College of Nursing at The University of Alabama invites applications for Tenure- and Clinical-Track Faculty Positions:
Faculty needed for BSN, RN Mobility and graduate programs. Resident faculty have the opportunity to teach in innovative online programs including a Doctor of Nursing Practice program, MSN programs focusing on case management leadership or the clinical nurse leader role, and RN to BSN and RN to BSN/MSN options. An interdisciplinary EdD for Nurse Educator’s program provides opportunities for doctoral level teaching and advising.
READ MORE READ ALL