February is American Heart Month and always a great time to address the cardiovascular health of your patients. More than 930,000 Americans lose their lives to heart disease, stroke, and other cardiovascular disorders each year.1 In the US, it is the leading cause of death for men, women, and people of most racial and ethnic groups. The number of Americans who have hypertension (high blood pressure) is 1 in 3. That same proportion, 1 out of 3, of patients with hypertension are not even aware they suffer from this condition and are not taking medication to manage it.2
How can pharmacists take a proactive approach to improving the heart health of their patients?
Providing year-round blood pressure screenings is a great way for pharmacists to help patients in the community become aware of their blood pressure levels. Also, coordination with physicians on blood pressure goals and medication regimens can help pharmacists prepare counseling points with patients.
Pharmacists have access to several cholesterol management protocols, including those from leading heart authorities. Protocols can be adapted from the American College of Cardiology (ACC) and the American Heart Association (AHA) to help manage cholesterol and to reduce the risk of cardiovascular events. The Million Hearts website provides links to protocols for cholesterol management, tobacco cessation, and hypertension treatment.
There are also tools to help estimate a patient’s risk of Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease (ASCVD). One popular tool is the Risk Estimator Plus. Just input demographic and medical information into the calculator to help determine a patient’s ASCVD risk. This tool is also referenced in a recent PQS Quality Corner Show podcast, “An Overview of ASCVD Risk Assessment” featuring guest Emily Young, PharmD, BCPS, BCCP, Cardiology Clinical Pharmacist Practitioner. Give it a listen using the embedded audio player below.
Other episodes of the PQS Quality Corner Show that cover Heart Health topics include:
How Pharmacists Help Patients Manage Hypertension
Medication Treatment Plans for Managing Hypertension
Expanding Blood Pressure Screenings and Management in Pharmacy
Is your pharmacy interested in expanding blood pressure screenings and closing data gaps for blood pressure patients?
PQS is working with pharmacies and payers to collect blood pressure (BP) readings in an effort to better support patients with hypertension. For more information on PQS’ Controlling Blood Pressure Program related to the HEDIS quality measure, please contact support@pharmacyquality.com.
Here’s to healthy hearts everywhere!
1Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Best Practices for Heart Disease and Stroke: A Guide to Effective Approaches and Strategies. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; 2022. doi:10.15620/cdc:122290
2Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Using the Pharmacists’ Patient Care Process to Manage High Blood Pressure: A Resource Guide for Pharmacists. Atlanta, GA: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; 2016.
