Introduction and Prevention Framework

The high prevalence and incidence of cardiovascular disease (CVD) in the United States and across the world, and the fact that it is the number one cause of death, demands greater attention to CVD prevention by patients, parents, health care providers and communities. Cardiovascular and primary care nurses are well-prepared to fulfill roles that will optimize preventive care across the life course. This chapter emphasizes a prevention framework, including components of comprehensive risk assessment and risk factor management, education, and counseling, to promote heart-healthy behaviors and behavioral change, interdisciplinary team leadership and care, and advocacy for prevention-focused health-care policies and environments, all of which will be addressed in greater detail in subsequent chapters. These efforts should promote primordial, primary, secondary, and tertiary resilience to cardiovascular risk and disease. When also equipped with the foundational knowledge of biological, behavioral, and psychological risks and the social determinants of health (SDoH), preventive cardiovascular nurses (PCNs) can advance ideal cardiovascular health (CVH) and wellness across the life course and spectrum of health care.