Improving hypertension control and cardiovascular health: An urgent call to action for nursing

Abstract

Background Hypertension is a leading cause of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and affects nearly one in two adults in the United States when defined as a blood pressure of at least 130/80 mm Hg or on antihypertensive medication (Virani et al., 2021, Circulation, 143, e254). Long‐standing disparities in hypertension awareness, treatment, and control among racial and ethnic populations exist in the United States. High‐quality evidence exists for how to prevent and control hypertension and for the role nurses can play in this effort. In response to the 2020 Surgeon General's Call to Action to Control Hypertension, nursing leaders from 11 national organizations identified the critical roles and actions of nursing in improving hypertension control and cardiovascular health, focusing on evidence‐based nursing interventions and available resources. Aims To develop a unified “Call to Action for Nurses” to improve control of hypertension and cardiovascular health and provide information and resources to execute this call. Methods This paper outlines roles that registered nurses, advanced practice nurses, schools of nursing, professional nursing organizations, quality improvement nurses, and nursing researchers can play to control hypertension and prevent CVD in the United States. It describes evidence‐based interventions to improve cardiovascular health and outlines actions to bring hypertension and CVD to the forefront as a national priority for nursing. Linking Evidence to Action Evidence‐based interventions exist for nurses to lead efforts to prevent and control hypertension, thus preventing much CVD. Nurses can take actions in their communities, their healthcare setting, and their organization to translate these interventions into real‐world practice settings.

Knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs of cardiovascular disease prevention in young adults in the country of Georgia

“…For example, young Georgians could benefit from early education in the primary and secondary schools about CVD risk factors and healthy lifestyle changes thereby influencing future CVD outcomes (Gilberson & Graves, 2015; Montelpare et al, 2018). Moreover, nurses could initiate CVD education for the public during regular primary care appointments and in other healthcare settings (Hannan et al, 2022). Currently, the Georgian government does not require nurses to pass a licensure exam nor does a nursing credentialing body exist in the country (Kurth et al, 2016; Richardson & Berduzli, 2017).…”

Ineffective health management in people with hypertension: Accuracy study

“…Nursing works in a multidisciplinary collaboration for the care of people with HTN since this is one of the main characteristics of the models of care considered to be more effective (Himmelfarb et al., 2016), crucial to prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and control (Hannan et al., 2022). Thus, due to the technological advances incorporated into the health services and to the different means of communication, nursing has reformulated its work method, incorporating itself into telehealth's scope through telenursing (Porter‐OʼGrady, 2019).…”

Self-care Level of Adults With Arterial Hypertension in Outpatient Follow-up in Brazil

“…An assessment of self-care behavior performed by individuals with HTN can provide clues to nurses and health professionals about how to develop tailored interventions to improve HTN control, 16 based on knowing which factors may affect the self-care and which people are at risk of poor practices. However, research examining factors that influence daily HTN self-care are limited 17–20 .…”

“…Management is an evaluation of the changes in the physical and emotional signs and symptoms to determine the need to perform some specific action, for example, adjust the medication dosage or search for health advice. 15 An assessment of self-care behavior performed by individuals with HTN can provide clues to nurses and health professionals about how to develop tailored interventions to improve HTN control, 16 based on knowing which factors may affect the self-care and which people are at risk of poor practices. However, research examining factors that influence daily HTN self-care are limited.…”