Call for Abstracts!
We invite healthcare professionals involved in innovation projects or original research related to cardiovascular risk reduction & disease management to submit an abstract for a poster presentation at the Preventive Cardiovascular Nurses Association (PCNA) 2017 Annual Symposium. The PCNA is proud to provide this forum for members and colleagues to share their ideas and best practices.
The purpose of the poster session is to present original research findings and share innovative ideas for successful approaches to cardiovascular risk reduction and disease management.
The details are as follows:
* Two outstanding written abstracts will be selected for oral presentations and published in the Journal of Cardiovascular Nursing.
* Six outstanding posters abstracts will be published in the Journal of Cardiovascular Nursing.
* All presenters and winners will be recognized during PCNA General Sessions on Saturday, April 8.
* All submissions will be eligible for selection to participate in a Moderated Poster Session at the PCNA Annual Symposium.
There are 2 categories for submission: original research and innovation in patient care. Only original abstracts not previously published or presented before submitting to PCNA will be considered. Submission of an abstract constitutes a commitment by the author to present a poster if accepted.
Individuals may request abstract mentoring and submit their abstract online at http://www.pcna.net/abstracts. The deadline for submission is November 1, 2016.
To help you prepare, PCNA offers an Excellence in Nursing Leadership on-demand webinar series that includes a course on Writing Strong Abstracts for Professional Conferences. You can find it online at http://www.pcna.net/online-edcuation/writing-strong-abstracts.
Fall Learning Series: Therapies That Work
This fall, PCNA is offering continuing education programs in cities across the country. Programs will be offered in 25 chapters from September through November. Dates and times will vary so be sure to visit the Fall Learning Series webpage (pcna.net/fls) for more information.
The series of talks aims to deliver clinically relevant information through diverse areas of focus. Each chapter will have a unique agenda of topics that may include the following:
* Strategies for Managing Patients with Extremely High Lipids
* Diabetes and Cardiovascular Disease: Managing Patients with High Risk and Comorbid Conditions
* Navigating the Maze of Heart Failure Treatment Options
Join us for these free educational programs where you can network with colleagues and earn continuing education contact hours. 2016 locations are as follows:
* Charlottesville, Virginia
* West Orange, New Jersey Area
* Hartford, Connecticut
* Denver, Colorado
* Tampa, Florida
* Duluth, Minnesota
* Cedar Valley, Iowa
* Jacksonville, Florida
* Morgantown, West Virginia
* Boston, Massachusetts
* Akron, Ohio
* Greenville, South Carolina
* Cincinnati, Ohio
* Metro New York, New York
* Chicago, Illinois
* Fort Worth, Texas
* Madison, Wisconsin
* New Orleans, Louisiana
* Long Island, New York
* Freeport, Illinois
The following chapters will also be holding events, although the cities are yet to be determined:
* Northern California
* Greater Delaware
* Central Kentucky
* Great Lake Michigan
Saturated Fats: Bad, Good, or Indifferent?
Since the 1960s, dietary guidelines have recommended a reduction in dietary fat intake for the prevention and treatment of coronary artery disease (CAD). Numerous studies as well as meta-analyses have shown that dietary saturated fats have been associated with increases in low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), resulting in an increased risk of CAD.
In recent years, recommendations regarding dietary fats have been challenged. Those in favor of allowing more saturated fats in the diet point to studies showing that higher intakes of saturated fat are associated with increases in high-density lipoprotein cholesterol and LDL-C levels, but there is a reduction in LDL particle number. Total LDL particle number is considered, by some, to be a stronger indicator of cardiovascular (CV) risk than lipoprotein measures are.1 The studies also show that high saturated fat levels decrease triglyceride levels, making this analysis more complicated than simply looking at the LDL-C measure. The EPIC-InterAct case cohort study followed 500 000 middle-aged adults in 10 countries and found that whereas processed meats like ham, bacon, and sausages were associated with CV mortality, red meat was not.2
The Mediterranean diet has been praised for focusing on food groups: fruit, vegetables, whole grains, fatty fish, lean meat, oils, nuts, and legumes, a blend of fats, carbohydrates and proteins. Some professionals believe the dietary guidelines should direct people in patterns of eating rather than specifying the percentage of daily fat, carbohydrates, or protein. The Prevencion con Dieta Mediterranea (PREDIMED) Trial supports this type of pattern for eating. The PREDIMED Trial included 7447 men and women without CV disease, but with high risk of developing CV disease. The participants were randomly assigned to a Mediterranean diet group or a low-fat control diet. Those in the Mediterranean group supplemented their diet with either olive oil or nuts, whereas group 2 followed a low-fat control diet. The primary endpoint of myocardial infarction, stroke, or CV death was reduced by 30% compared with the control group.
The most recent lifestyle management guidelines from 2013, written by the American College of Cardiology and the American Heart Association (AHA), recommended a goal of 5% to 6% of total calories from saturated fats. The reason is that studies have shown that LDL-C is reduced maximally with a 5% to 6% reduction in saturated fats.3-5 One of the diets that was involved in the decision was the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension diet. The Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension diet focused on diet patterns with whole grains, fruits and vegetables, reduced refined carbohydrates and dairy with a reduction of saturated fat to 5% of calories.
Lastly, there is The Lifestyle Heart Trial by Dr Dean Ornish. This is the first and only randomized control trial showing that a very-low-fat vegan diet alongside with lifestyle changes of exercise and meditation can reverse the progression of CAD. The vegetarian diet consists of no more than 10% of calories from fat. There is no added fat to foods. The fat has to come naturally from whole grains, vegetables, fruits, legumes, soy foods and small amounts of nuts and seeds. The 1-year data showed that the percentage of atherosclerotic coronary artery plaque improved after 1 year. This was found using cardiac positron emission tomography scans.6 A follow up 5-year study was performed that showed a dose response correlation both at 1 and 5 years between the degree of adherence to both the lifestyle program as a whole and the diet.7 In addition to the reversal of plaque, there was a 300% improvement in blood flow to the heart. Dr Ornish spoke at the American College of Cardiology in 2016 and noted his findings. He stated that "the burden of proof is on others to show that a higher fat diet can reverse the progression of heart disease."
1. Prado KB, Shugg S, Backstrand JR. Low-density lipoprotein particle number predicts coronary artery calcification in asymptomatic adults at intermediate risk of cardiovascular disease [abstract]. J Clin Lipidol. 2011;5:408-413.
2. Rohrmann S, Overad K, Bueno-de-Mesquita HB, et al. Meat consumption and mortality-results from the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition. BMC Med. 2013;11:63
3. Obarzanek E, Sacks FM, Vollmer WM, et al; DASH Research Group. Effects on blood lipids on a blood pressure-lowering diet: the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) Trial. Am J Clin Nutr. 2001;74:80-89.
4. Harsha DW, Sacks FM, Obarzanek E, et al. Effect of dietary sodium intake on blood lipids: results from the DASH-sodium trial. Hypertension. 2004;43:393-398.
5. Appel LJ, Sacks FM, Carey VJ, et al; OmniHeart Collaborative Research Group. Effects of protein, monounsaturated fat, and carbohydrate intake on blood pressure and serum lipids: results of the OmniHeart randomized trial. JAMA. 2005;294:2455-2464.
6. Ornish D, Brown SE, Scherwitz LW, et al. Can lifestyle changes reverse coronary heart disease? The Lifestyle Heat Trial. Lancet. 1990;336:129-133.
7. Ornish D, Scherwitz LW, Billings JH, et al. Intensive lifestyle changes of reversal of coronary heart disease. JAMA. 1998;280:2001-2007.
Healthy Eating Community Initiative
The AHA and the food service provider Aramark have joined together to promote healthy eating and cooking among underserved communities. The 12-week program is being launched in Philadelphia, Chicago, and Houston to provide training in preparing healthier meals at home as well as track attitudes and behaviors regarding food and health among this population.
According to Kim Stitzel, AHA's senior vice president of the Center for Health Metrics and Evaluation, the program is custom tailored to a community to make health impacts through culturally relevant and family-centric cooking as well as having a curriculum-based nutrition education, which focuses on teaching easy ways to make healthier, easier, and more affordable meals.
Through the use of lesson plans, hands-on activities, group discussions, and progress reports, the curriculum will cover wellness and how eating healthy promotes heart health, healthy recipes and basic cooking skills, smart shopping through budgeting and creating grocery lists, and gardening to incorporate homegrown fruits and vegetables into meals.
The 2 groups created the program as part of the Healthy for Life 20 by 20 initiative to fight heart disease through healthier eating nationwide. The initiative began with Aramark introducing healthier menus, which includes lowering sodium and salt content while increasing fruits, vegetables, and whole grains at their locations.
Aramark Chairman, President, and Chief Executive officer Eric J. Foss said in a statement, "We continue to make measurable progress with Healthy for Life 20 by 20 and are excited to launch this next important phase of the initiative to help build a culture of health at the individual, community, and national levels. Our goal is to use the learnings from this pilot program to impact the health and well-being of tens of thousands of families in underserved communities across the country."
Aramark's community-based partners Congreso de Latino Unidos, Inc, Episcopal Community Services, Federation of Neighborhood Centers in Philadelphia, Casa Central in Chicago, and Neighborhood Centers in Houston will act as liaisons between the AHA and the local populations by bringing in people to participate in the free program.
Once the program is rolled out nationwide, the Alliance for Strong Families and Communities will help connect the AHA with communities. The behavioral and attitudinal research that AHA will perform during the pilot includes the following questions: Is the population interested in cooking? How do they feel about cooking? Do they find cooking easy to do? And what do they deem important when cooking? The answers to these questions will help the association make adjustments to the program before expanding it.
According to Stitzel, underserved communities tend to have the highest rates of obesity and the highest healthcare costs and experience some of the most health inequities, and therefore, we want to be able to help these folks live healthier, happier lives. She states, "People who are able to cook healthy at home tend to eat healthier as well, which leads to heart healthier lives, so we really want to reach those who are in the most need of AHA and Aramark to improve their lives."
Eileen Handberg Appointed to Preventive Cardiovascular Nurses Association Board of Directors
The PCNA is pleased to announce the addition of Eileen Handberg, PhD, ANP-BC, FAHA, FACC, to the Board of Directors.
Dr Handberg has been a member of PCNA since 2007, has served on the PCNA Abstract Review Committee, and has acted as a representative for PCNA at several significant forums over the last several years. Dr Handberg has played a key role in fostering collaboration among healthcare professionals, including coauthoring a paper on team-based care and working with the American Nurses Association to spearhead an update of the Cardiovascular Nursing: Scope and Standards of Practice.
"Healthcare is changing as never before, and with our aging population the only way to success is the utilization of all members of the health care team," says Dr Handberg. "PCNA is a strong voice for both patients and cardiovascular nurses and will play a major role in helping us shape health care in the years to come. I am extremely excited to have the opportunity to serve on the PCNA Board of Directors and be a part of the evolution of care."
Dr Handberg is an associate professor of medicine and director of the Cardiovascular Clinical Trials Program in the Division of Cardiovascular Medicine at the University of Florida. She also serves at the university as an institutional review board member and is a representative on the College of Medicine Continuing Medical Education committee. Dr Handberg is an adult nurse practitioner, has an outpatient practice, and manages research patient care. She is program director for the practitioner competency assessment program, Florida CARES, which is 1 of only 7 assessment centers in the United States. Her clinical interests include exercise and lifestyle interventions, ischemic heart disease, heart disease in women, and heart failure.