by dennis cheek, rn, phd, faha; melissa sherrod, rn; and jennifer tester women and heart disease:...
TRANSCRIPT
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By Dennis Cheek, RN, PhD, FAHA;
Melissa Sherrod, RN;
and Jennifer Tester
Women and heart disease: What’s new?
Nursing2008, JanuaryEarn 2.0 ANCC/AACN contact hoursOnline: http://www.nursing2008.com© 2008 Lippincott, Williams & Wilkins
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Learning objectives
1. Identify the risk factors for heart disease in women.
2. Describe diagnostic testing for heart disease in women.
3. Identify treatment options for women with heart disease.
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“Heart disease is the leading killer of men and women in the United States and the second leading cause of death in most developed
nations.”--American Heart Association (2007)
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Risk factorsNon-modifiable
SexAgeEthnicityGenetics
ModifiableDiabetesHypertensionSmokingDyslipidemiaObesitySedentary lifestyleStress
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SexAmong women, diagnosis and death rates are steady; among men, they’re declining.
More than 500,000 women die of cardiovascular disease (CVD) each yearGreater than the number of CVD deaths in menAlso greater than the total of the next seven
causes of death in women
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AgeMen develop CVD at younger ages, but
incidence and prevalence equalize for women after menopause
Postmenopausal status is considered an independent risk factor
Hormone therapy no longer recommended to prevent or manage CVD due to increased rates of thrombotic events, such as myocardial infarction (MI) and stroke, as well as breast cancer
Short-term hormone therapy used to treat menopause symptoms
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Ethnicity and Genetics
EthnicityRace and ethnicity together affect CVD riskDeath rate for African-American women with
CVD is almost 40% higher than that of white women
GeneticsInherited susceptibility patterns appear in
families
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DiabetesPoses a greater risk than any other factorNurses’ Health Study: Women with
diabetes had seven times more cardiovascular events than other women and about half of them died of CVD
Women with diabetes and CVD--especially Hispanic and African-American women--die at a much higher rate than men or nondiabetic women
Young women with diabetes lose any premenopausal protection
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HypertensionPuts women at a much greater risk for CVD,
especially if it develops before menopauseAt least half of women may have
hypertension before menopause, with prevalence greatest in African-American women
Elevated blood pressure is two to three times more common in women who take oral contraceptives, especially older women who are overweight
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SmokingNurses’ Health Study: Even a few cigarettes a
day correlated with a greater risk of CVD or fatal MI
About one-quarter of all women smoke; prevalence greatest among postmenopausal women
Younger women who smoke probably cancel out any premenopausal protection
Women who take oral contraceptives and smoke are more likely to have an MI or stroke than those who take the pill but don’t smoke
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Dyslipidemia and ObesityDyslipidemia
Doubles a woman’s risk of CVD compared to women with normal lipid profiles
Low levels of HDL have been shown to be a much stronger predictor of CVD mortality in women than men
ObesityCentral obesity poses a greater risk than increased
body mass index (BMI)Healthy waist circumference
Women: less than 35 inchesMen: less than 40 inches
Desired BMI (men and women): 18.5 to 24.9 kg/m2
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Sedentary lifestyleCan contribute to obesity, dyslipidemia,
hypertension, and hyperglycemiaExercise can reduce cardiovascular risk by
increasing high-density lipoprotein (HDL) and decreasing BP, blood glucose, and low-density lipoprotein (LDL)
Exercise can cut a woman’s CVD risk by half and may significantly decrease the risk of a second MI in a postmenopausal woman
30 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity on most days is ideal; 60 minutes for women who need to lose weight or sustain weight loss
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Stress
Puts a woman at greater risk for CVD and poorer outcomes
Depression also may increase risk or deter her from seeking medical help
Consider screening women with CAD for depression and refer for treatment as needed
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National Cholesterol Education Program
Provides risk-assessment tool based on the Framingham Heart Study
Estimated 10-year risk of MI and death determined byAgeSexCholesterolBlood pressureSmoking history
Available online: http://hp2010.nhlbihin.net/atpiii/calculator.asp
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Determining CVD risk: Optimal risk
Framingham global risk <10%
Healthy lifestyle
No risk factors
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Determining CVD risk: At risk
One or more major risk factors (cigarette smoking, poor diet, physical inactivity, hypertension, dyslipidemia, metabolic syndrome, obesity, family history of premature CVD (<55 in a male relative and <65 in a female relative)
Evidence of subclinical vascular disease
Poor exercise capacity on treadmill test and/or abnormal heart rate recovery after stopping exercise
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Determining CVD risk: High risk
Established CVDCerebrovascular diseasePeripheral artery diseaseAbdominal aortic aneurysmEnd-stage or chronic renal diseaseDiabetesFramingham global risk >20% (or at high
risk on the basis of another population-adaptive tool to assess goal risk)
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Signs and symptoms in men
Classic substernal pain characterized by heavy, crushing, or squeezing feeling
Commonly occurs with physical exertion or emotion
If cause is ischemia, rest and sublingual nitroglycerin can relieve the pain
If cause is MI, pain can occur at rest and may only be relieved by intravenous nitroglycerin, morphine, and reperfusion therapy
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Signs and symptoms in women
More subtle symptoms than in men (shortness of breath, fatigue, changes in sleep patterns)
Discomfort may also be more generalized or subtleHeaviness, squeezing, or pain in left chest,
abdomen, midback, or shoulderArm painPalpitations or pain that’s sharp or fleeting
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Signs and symptoms in women
Anginal discomfort may occur during rest or sleep or with other symptoms during exertion
Acute MI discomfort more likely to occur in neck, back, arm, shoulder, jaw, or throat, possibly accompanied by other symptomsNausea and vomitingIndigestionUpper abdominal painDyspneaFatigue DiaphoresisDizzinessFainting
An older woman or one with diabetes may not experience any pain
during an MI.
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ECG findings
“Significantly, electrocardiogram (ECG) findings are different for men and women.
A woman experiencing an MI is far less likely than a man to have concurrent ST-
segment elevation. If she describes atypical pain and has an ECG that doesn’t show any
ST-segment changes, she may be misdiagnosed and not get follow-up
testing.”
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Diagnostic testingAcute symptoms should be triaged and
treated in the emergency departmentIf patient isn’t having acute symptoms but
may be at risk for CVD, conduct a risk assessment using the Framingham tool
If at risk or high risk:Exercise or pharmacologic stress test
False-positives more common in womenExercise echocardiography (“stress echo”)
More reliable in women, especially when wall motion or valve function in question
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Cardiac catheterization with coronary angiography
For anyone with a positive or inconclusive stress test or stress echocardiogram
Most reliable diagnostic tool in womenInvasive procedure with risk of bleeding,
infection, and strokeIsn’t indicated unless CVD is strongly
suspected
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Lifestyle modificationsLow-fat, low-cholesterol diet; avoid saturated
fats (butter, cheese, fatty meats)Limit daily saturated fat intake to <10% of
caloriesLimit cholesterol intake to <300 mgLimit intake of trans fatty acids
Omega-3 fatty acids Protect against CVD Found in oily fish such as tuna and salmon Eat several times a week If pregnant or lactating, avoid fish potentially
high in methylmercury (swordfish, king mackerel)
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Lifestyle modifications (cont’d)
Eat more fresh fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and other high-fiber foods Recommended daily fiber intake: 20 to 30 grams
Limit salt intake to 2,400 mg/dayLimit alcohol consumption to one drink per day
One drink equals 12-ounce beer, 5-ounce glass of wine, or 1.5-ounce shot of 80-proof liquor
Do at least 30 minutes of moderate aerobic activity daily
Maintain BMI <25 kg/m2 and waist <35 inches (women)
If diabetic or prediabetic, keep blood glucose in normal range and hemoglobin A1C level <7%
Stop smoking and avoid secondhand smokeReduce stress
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Drugs used to manage CVD
Antiplatelet agents (aspirin, clopidogrel) Prevent thrombotic events
Statins (atorvastatin, pravastatin) Normalize lipid levelsReduce rates of nonfatal MI and strokeDecrease need for percutaneous coronary
intervention (PCI) or coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG)
Beta blockers (metoprolol)Reduce the risk of MI, reinfarction, and sudden
cardiac death
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Drugs used to manage CVD
(cont’d)
ACE inhibitors (lisinopril)Reduce morbidity and mortality in patients
who've had an MI and those with hypertension, left ventricular dysfunction, or diabetes
Short-acting sublingual or aerosol nitrates Reduce acute angina symptoms
Long-acting nitrates (transdermal nitroglycerin)Prevent angina and improve exercise tolerance
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Invasive procedures
PCICABG
A woman’s blood vessels may be small and difficult to cannulate or visualize during the above procedures, therefore
her risk of complications is greater. Also, women are more likely than men to experience bleeding at the surgical site or
hemorrhagic stroke, and their in-hospital mortality rate is significantly higher.
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RehabilitationWomen have higher hospital readmission rates for
unstable angina, reinfarction, heart failure, ventricular tachycardia, and ventricular fibrillation.
Main goals: Reduce risk and restore functional capacity
Follow-up care to focus on signs and symptoms, energy level, blood cholesterol levels, medication use, and ability to cope
Formal rehab after MI, PCI, or CABG includes early ambulation, behavioral modifications, psychosocial support, and vocational and sexual counseling