February is American Heart Month and a great time to encourage your patients to practice a heart-healthy lifestyle. It is also a perfect time to engage patients who are managing cardiovascular disease.
The American Heart Association recommends statins of moderate or high intensity for adults with clinical atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease to help reduce the risk of heart attack or stroke. The following tips will help reinforce recommendations on statin use for patients with cardiovascular disease:
- Discuss with your patients why they are on a specific statin medication and explain the role and importance of statin therapy.
- Identify and help resolve patient-specific medication adherence barriers or concerns, such as adverse side effects or cost.
- Recommend mail order and/or 90-day prescription of maintenance drugs.
Statin therapy is only one aspect of care for patients with cardiovascular disease but it has a big influence on measuring overall effectiveness of care.
Cardiac rehabilitation can significantly improve functional status and other important health factors for patients who have experienced a cardiac event (heart attack, heart transplant, etc.). Cardiac rehabilitation includes exercise counseling and training, education for heart-healthy living, and counseling to reduce stress. It is widely covered by health plans and state and federal programs.
