What Health Care Providers Can Do

Studies show that patients value advice from their health care providers; therefore, health care providers have a unique opportunity to influence their patients' health habits. In addition to providing treatment, health care providers can partner with patients around basic prevention of disease to reduce existing cardiovascular disease (CVD) as well as prevent major risk factors from developing.

Providers can have a significant impact on their patients' health by educating and counseling patients to:

• Monitor and control their blood pressure and cholesterol
• Know the signs and symptoms of heart attack and stroke and the need to call 911
• Set goals and make healthy lifestyle changes such as quitting smoking, getting regular physical activity, eating a heart-healthy diet, and maintaining a healthy weight.

Participation in clinical practice improvement initiatives can support health care providers in addressing overall systems change. Implementation of improvements in the delivery of care and integration of evidenced-based guidelines in treatment of patients with cardiovascular disease and CVD risk factors will have a substantial impact on the quality of care in a clinical practice.

The Chronic Care Model

The Maine Cardiovascular Health Program (MCVHP) promotes the use of the Chronic Care Model for Maine clinicians and patients through technical assistance and partnerships with State-level organizations. Click here for a complete description of the Chronic Care Model and a variety of tools and resources.

Evidence Based Tools and Guidelines

Below are some tools and guidelines to assist you and your office team in your daily practice. Treat to evidence-based guidelines. Integrate guidelines into daily clinical practice.

Hypertension

The Seventh Report of the Joint National Committee on the Prevention, Detection, Evaluation, and Treatment of High Blood Pressure

• JNC 7 Reference Sheet
  National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), National Institutes of Health (NIH)

• JNC 7 Express
  National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), National Institutes of Health (NIH) 2003. This special version of the updated clinical practice guidelines for hypertension is written for the busy primary care clinician.
  

High Blood Cholesterol

• ATP III At-A-Glance: Quick Desk Reference
  This health professional reference outlines cholesterol management in a sequence of easy-to-follow steps.
• ATP III Executive Summary
  This publication for health professionals summarizes recommendations derived from the evidence-based full clinical guidelines. Key tables and figures from the full report are included for easy reference.

Other Guidelines

AHA Guidelines for Primary Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease and Stroke: 2002 Update: Consensus Panel Guide to Comprehensive Risk Reduction for Adult Patients Without Coronary or Other Atherosclerotic Vascular Diseases, Circulation 2002 Jul 16

AHA/ACC Guidelines for Secondary Prevention

American Heart Association Guide for Improving Cardiovascular Health at the Community Level

AHA Guidelines for Women

Resources for Health Care Providers

If you are interested in getting a limited quantity of Maine Cardiovascular Health Program resources please email or call David Pied (207) 287-7108

Click here to see resources available through Maine CDC's Cardiovascular Health Program.

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