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Cardiac Patients’ Cholesterol Improves with Nursing
Intervention
Heart bypass patients who receive follow-up care from a
nurse are more likely to control their cholesterol and reduce the risk
of further disease, according to a study from the John Hopkins University
School of Nursing.
The study involved 228 male and female participants who
were randomly assigned to one of two programs. The first group received
standard follow-up enhanced with cholesterol-lowering medication and written
reports on cholesterol levels were sent to the patient and the patient’s
primary care provider or cardiologist.
In the second group, a nurse case manager provided patients
with individualized counseling, feedback on lifestyle modifications, an
outpatient visit, and follow-up phone calls. The nurse also communicated
with patient’s primary care provider or cardiologist on his progress.
Patients in this group also received cholesterol-lowering medication,
and a nurse monitored its effectiveness, adjusted the dosage as needed,
and promoted compliance. The nurse spent about five hours on each patient
per year.
After one year of follow-up care, 65% of the patients in
the nurse-managed group achieved recommended cholesterol levels, compared
with 35% in the other group. Patients in the nurse-managed group also
reported healthier diet and exercise patterns. The full study was published
in the American Heart Journal (vol. 144, no. 4, p. 678).
R.N. Magazine, December 2002.
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