CHD prevention: the importance of identifying dyslipidaemia

Coronary heart disease (CHD) is the major cause of death worldwide (Murray and Lopez, 1997) and confers a significant socio-economic burden on all populations. The careful identification and optimal treatment of all individuals at risk of CHD is necessary for significant reductions in morbidity and mortality to be realized. This strategy demands an integrated approach by healthcare teams, with nurses playing a significant role at all stages of patient care. Guidelines advocate lipid lowering as a central component of all treatment regimens. Identification by nurses of all individuals who would benefit from lifestyle and therapeutic interventions to normalize lipid profiles, as well as the recognition of the impact of increasing prevalances of diabetes and obesity on the risk of developing CHD, are clearly critical. Nurses also have an important role to play in the implementation of drug regiments and lifestyle changes, including appropriate ways to minimize the treatment gap and maximize patient concordance.