Post-heart attack counseling goes beyond diet
Most patients don’t receive guidance on overcoming barriers to healthy changes
August 29, 2024
IN THE NEWS: New research has found that after a heart attack, fewer than 1 in 4 patients receive nutritional counseling within 90 days of the event.
Such in-depth counseling goes beyond discussing the principles of a heart-healthy diet, says nutritionist Geeta Sikand, director of nutrition at UCI Health, in WebMD.
“It’s about identifying barriers that are keeping a patient from making positive dietary changes so that they can find ways around them. It’s about going on the journey with patients rather than them feeling like they’re being judged by their clinician.”
Sikand directs nutritional services at UCI Health Preventive Cardiology & Cholesterol Management Services and is an associate professor in the Department of Medicine at the UC Irvine School of Medicine. She is the author or co-author of dozens of papers on the topic of lipids, cardiovascular risk reduction and diet quality.
In her role, Sikand works with UCI Health cardiologists to create a personalized action plan for each patient. The plan includes a nutritional assessment and physical activity prescription, as well as additional behavioral and clinical steps to lower the risk of a life-threatening cardiac event.
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