Reference no: EM132370258

Assignment: Carmen: Cardiovascular Disease Case Study

Prior to beginning work on this assignment, examine the relationship between cardiovascular health status and wellness by reading Chapter 10 in the course text.

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the number one killer of both men and women in the United States (American Heart Association, 2013). Many risk factors are associated with CVD. A risk factor is a variable which can increase a person's risk of developing a disease such as family history, obesity, high blood pressure, or high cholesterol. Chronic diseases, such as heart disease, can have a direct impact on a person's wellness. Making healthy lifestyle changes can decrease a person's risk of heart disease and other chronic diseases.

Carmen, from the Week 1 Dimensions of Wellness Case Study discussion and the Week 3 Weight and Body Composition Self-Check, did not heed your suggestions for improving her wellness. As a result, Carmen, now 58 years old, has developed cardiovascular disease. Due to her continued diet of fast food and sedentary behavior, she has gained 20 pounds and has a BMI of 28; her blood pressure is 152/80 mmHg; her total cholesterol level is 230 mg/dL, and she does not meet the physical activity guidelines for adults. Recently, she has also been diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes and is determined to make a behavior change.

For this discussion address the following in your response:

• Summarize Carmen's controllable risk factors for heart disease.

• Discuss the relationship between the lifestyle factors of poor diet and sedentary behavior to heart disease (particularly discuss the formation of plaque within the arteries). Use a reference to support your explanation.

• Explain the current recommendations for healthy levels of BMI, cholesterol, blood pressure, and physical activity.

• Devise a plan for Carmen to reduce her risk factors. The plan should include detailed dietary guidelines (recommendations for specific amounts of fat, cholesterol, caloric intake, etc.) and physical activity guidelines to include each of the FITT principles.

Include the text and one additional scholarly reference correctly cited in APA style as outlined in the Ashford Writing Center to help support your response. See the Citing Within Your Paper and Formatting Your References List resources and the Scholarly, Peer-Reviewed, and Other Credible Sources document for additional guidance.

• To assist you in completing the library research required for this assignment, view the How Do I Begin? tutorial, which provides an overview of conducting searches in the library, generating keywords, and understanding your assignment prompt.