Health Policy Concerning Cardiovascular Disease in USA (Essay Sample)

Health Policy Concerning Cardiovascular Disease in USA
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INTRODUCTION TO PROBLEM
Cardiovascular Disease refers to conditions which entail blocked or narrowed blood vessels which can result in a heart attack, stroke or chest pain (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2015). Cardiovascular disease has been the number one killer of Americans and the leading of morbidity in the United States of America each year. (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2015). The burden of cardiovascular disease is currently growing at an alarming pace and this reduces the efforts to combat it as a result of increased prevalence of poor diet, obesity, epidemic, high blood pressure, and increase cases of Type 2 diabetes. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) National Health Statistics (2015), the death rate from the Cardiovascular disease diseased by one percent in the entire United States of America’s pollution since 1969. However, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) National Health Statistics (2015), indicate that cardiovascular disease mortality rates have increased for the most at-risk populace (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2015). Furthermore, Cardiovascular disease has become United States of America’s costliest chronic ailment according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC). Annual overall costs resulting from Cardiovascular disease are projected to be at $444 billon (American Heart Association, 2016). Moreover, the American Heart Association (2011) indicate that by 2030, forty percent of the United States of America’s Population would suffer from Cardiovascular disease. Disturbingly, the United States of America reached that point in 2015 according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) National Health Statistics of 2015. Similarly, in 2015, one hundred and two million people in the United States of America had Cardiovascular disease (American Heart Association, 2016). It contributes to the highest number of cases of non-communicable diseases which results in high rates of mortality and morbidity in the United States of America. The incidence of cardiovascular disease as well as the prevalence of its risk factors vary according to gender, race, ethnic background and religion in United States of America. The general prevalence of Cardiovascular disease increases from twelve percent in men to in the age bracket of twenty to thirty-nine years to eighty percent for men above eighty years old. Moreover, the corresponding numbers for women ten percent and eighty percent, though absolute mortality from Cardiovascular disease in women has always exceeded that viewed in men since 1985. Studies show that these declines have been as a result of improved treatment of cardiovascular disease and the its risk factors alongside improvement in lifestyle aspects such as reduced smoking. However, increasing cases of obesity epidemic is projected to negate these reduction in Cardiovascular disease (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2015).
Health policy that addresses the leading risk factors such as obesity, hypertension, and smoking, associated with cardiovascular disease can reduce the burden and prevalence of the cardiovascular disease among women in the United States of America. Health policy regarding legislation and public awareness to decrease trans-fatty acids and dietary sodium in nutrient content and food respectively can reduce the burden of Cardiovascular disease among women in the United States of America (Mann et al., 2104). Such health policy promotes the legislation that is supposed to change the nutrient content of any processed food items to reduce trans-fatty acids, sodium, saturated fats, or energy to increase contents of valuable nutrients such as wholegrains, dietary fibers, unsaturated fats, vegetable and fruits (Ekinci et al.,2011). On the contrary, the health policy does allow for addition of nutrients minerals or vitamins via fortification processes. A diet that comprises wholegrains, fruits, vegetable and low in sodium, trans-fatty acids and saturated salts protects against cardiovascular disease. Moreover, public health programs that focus on the changing individual behavior regarding nutrition have been achieved through the social marketing, community-based interventions, campaigns, and primary (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2015).
The specific legislator concerned with the development of the above policy as well as the dissemination includes Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Furthermore, the agency works in conjunction with the local, state and national partners to gradually lower the sodium consumption and improve nutrition among American women and the entire population in the United States of America. Moreover, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) actively monitors the programs associated with the sodium reduction policy through its Division for Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2015).
Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (APRN) are crucial part of health care system in the United States of America. To that effect, APRN has played an important role in assisting with the sodium reduction policy (Gregg et al., 2005). For more than three decades, Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (APRN) have been recommended for promoting healthcare delivery of cardiovascular prevention in the primary care environment. While providing healthcare services in primary care settings, Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (APRN) educate their patients and the community on the proper nutrition and diet (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2015).
Sodium reduction policy influences clinical practice in various ways consequently leading to best outcomes. In the absence of specific clinical trials, procedures for dietary sodium intake in the United States of America relies on expert opinion, extrapolation from overall population studies, and observational studies (American Heart Association, 2016). For instance, the clinical practice perspectives recommend “lowering sodium intake to two grams per day unless contraindicated.” The recommendation is categorized “1C,” showing that the clinical practice in important enough to promote the best outcomes regarding the sodium reduction policy (Djousse, Driver & Gaxiano, 2009).
On the other hand, the inter-profes