How to Improve Compliance in Coronary Heart Disease

Individuals diagnosed with coronary artery disease must often change their diet, their exercise levels, and living habits. Adjusting to those changes is often difficult for patients, while convincing them to do so can be frustrating for health care providers. In order to improve compliance from patients experiencing coronary artery disease, health care providers, family, and friends can help.

Instructions

• 1

  Explain to the individual exactly what is wrong with his or her heart, or describe the circulatory condition with which they have been diagnosed. Encourage them to ask questions about their condition, though some may want to, and others won't.

• 2

  Describe what can happen if medications aren't taken as directed, or possible complications if advice regarding diet and exercise aren't followed. Depending on the condition of the patient, his or her diagnoses and the severity of their condition, results of such noncompliance may result in worsening conditions, heart attacks, strokes, or death.

• 3

  Discuss the importance of diet with the patient or individual. Some people don't know how high-calorie and high-sugar foods can damage the body, encourage build up of plaque inside arteries, or throw off chemical levels in the body, or how they may affect certain medications.

• 4

  Take proactive measures to help coronary artery disease patients remain compliant with doctor's office visits, medications, and refill prescriptions. Send postcard reminders to patients every month reminding them to fill their prescriptions or to schedule follow-up appointments with their doctors and cardiologists. Give the patient a schedule or printed sheet, offering instructions on how and when to take their medicine.

• 5

  Offer compliance workshops or one-on-one meetings with patients to discuss the importance of following medication guidelines and schedules, and offer them sample menu plans designed for cardiac diets. Offer a list of daily exercises they can do, or that lets them know what types of exercise are suggested, such as walking 30 minutes a day, weight bearing exercise, or non-impact exercise methods like Yoga or Pilates.