Nurse-led intervention reduces heart event risks

A nurse-coordinated prevention program reduced the long-term risk for heart events in adults who had experienced acute coronary syndrome. The program, which emphasized lifestyle and behavioral changes, was associated with a 30% decrease in major adverse cardiovascular events for patients. Researchers randomly assigned 2,057 patients to a nurse-coordinated prevention program (1,031) or standard care (1,026). Patients in the prevention program attended individual educational sessions before hospital discharge and four times in the first year, twice in the second year, and once in the third and fourth years. They received counseling to identify cardiovascular risk factors and to encourage and adhere to healthier lifestyles. Nurses also could refer patients to a multidisciplinary team for treatment of cardiovascular risk factors and psychological support. (Healio article, 4/2/25)