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Empowering Patients to Initiate Lifestyle Management of Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease (ASCVD)
Mirza, Hamza
Mirza, Hamza
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Attribution 4.0 International
Abstract
Atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality across the United States, including in Danbury, CT, accounting for 27% of all deaths in 2019; rates are even higher among Black, Hispanic, and low-income communities. In addition, ASCVD has a major cost to patients and to the healthcare system. The management of ASCVD is well-established; addressing the medical risk factors through lifestyle management and medication. Specifically, lifestyle management has been shown to be the most effective preventative measure and continues to be effective at all stages of treatment. Intensive lifestyle changes have the most impact, but research shows that every healthy change has a positive impact on ASCVD risk. This project focused on counseling patients on identifying small, specific changes they could make to their lifestyles and maintain consistently. These points of emphasis were derived from clinical guidelines published by multiple national organizations, as well as from interviews with lifestyle management specialists in the Greater Danbury Area. A form was developed to reemphasize these points and to provide a means for patients to track their consistency and progress. Ten patients were given the form as part of lifestyle management counseling, which was met with positive feedback. Future efforts could focus on more intensive counseling and follow-up with patients who were given the form. In addition, both interviews emphasized the importance of lifestyle management specialists for more individualized counseling, and future projects could look for ways to more effectively integrate these resources into primary care offices.
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2026-03-13
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Newtown, Nuvance Health Primary Care