Regular physical exercise can help to prevent and manage the risk of strokes (cerebrovascular accident) and coronary heart disease (CHD) in middle aged adults. CHD includes heart attacks (myocardial infarction) and angina pectoris (chest pain). Stroke is ranked as the second leading cause of death globally with an overall prevalence of 3.1% (Donkor, 2018). According to the American Heart Association (AHA), approximately 83 million people in the United States currently have CHD, which makes it a leading cause of death for both men and women with a prevalence for men at 8.3% and for women 6.1% (Sanchis-Gomar et al., 2016). Nurses can help patients to incorporate routine exercises and increased physical activity as a strategy for disease prevention and health promotion through numerous ways.
Educating patients about the benefits of exercise in illness prevention and health promotion is an effective nursing intervention for preventing strokes and CHD (Nystoriak et al., 2018). According to Nystoriak et al. (2018), evidence shows that exercise is beneficial to the brain and heart by specifically lowering the blood pressure, increasing insulin sensitivity, and producing a favorable plasma lipoprotein (cholesterol) and triglyceride profile. Educating patients about these benefits and how to safely meet exercise obligations for health can help to reduce the diseases and promote health.
Nurses can also refer patients to community resources that are available for regular exercise including cardiovascular exercise programs for patients on cardiac rehabilitation. The AHA recommends for adults aged 18 to 64, to engage in at least 150 minutes/week of ‘moderate-intensity’ aerobic activity, or 75 minutes/week of ‘intense’ aerobic activity, or a mix of both in addition to ‘moderate-to-high-intensity’ muscle-strengthening activity like lifting weights on at least 2 days per week (Nystoriak et al., 2018). The increased physical activity would eliminate a sedentary lifestyle which increases the risks for CHD and strokes.
Donkor E. S. (2018). Stroke in the 21st Century: A Snapshot of the Burden, Epidemiology, and Quality of Life. Stroke research and treatment, 2018, 3238165. https://doi.org/10.1155/2018/3238165
Nystoriak, M. A., &Bhatnagar, A. (2018). Cardiovascular Effects and Benefits of Exercise. Frontiers in cardiovascular medicine, 5, 135. https://doi.org/10.3389/fcvm.2018.00135
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