Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health, & National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. (n.d.). Women’s Health Initiative: WHI background and overview. Retrieved March 20, 2013, from https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/science/womens-health-initiative-whi

This website outlines details of the Women’s Health Initiative (WHI) and introduces the various health issues addressed by the WHI.

McSweeney, J. C., Pettey, C. M., Souder, E., & Rhoads, S. (2011). Disparities in Women’s cardiovascular health. Journal of Obstetric, Gynecologic & Neonatal Nursing, 40(3), 362–371.

This article explores health disparities in cardiovascular disease, including gender and racial disparities related to the diagnosis, treatment, and outcomes of patients with this disease.

Tharpe, N. L., Farley, C., & Jordan, R. G. (2017). Clinical practice guidelines for midwifery & women’s health (5th ed.). Burlington, MA: Jones & Bartlett Publishers.

• Chapter 8, “Primary Care in Women’s Health” (pp. 457-616)
This chapter explores health promotion and disease prevention in women’s health. It also describes the presentation, assessment, diagnosis, and management of various systemic conditions, including cardiovascular and neurologic conditions.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2012b). Women’s health. Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/women/

National Institutes of Health. (2012). Office of Research on Women’s Health (ORWH). Retrieved from http://orwh.od.nih.gov/

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (2012a). Womenshealth.gov. Retrieved from http://www.womenshealth.gov/

Discussion: Diagnosing and Managing Common Cardiovascular and Neurologic Conditions
Cardiovascular and neurologic conditions are among the leading causes of death and hospitalization of women in the United States (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2008a). As an advanced practice nurse, you must routinely monitor patients at risk of these conditions and recommend the appropriate health screenings and preventive services. When assessing patients for these conditions, it is important to keep in mind that while some female patients might present with typical signs and symptoms, others might present with atypical signs and symptoms that are unique to women. For this Discussion, consider signs and symptoms presented by the women in the following case studies and develop differential diagnoses:

Case Study 1

A 48-year-old overweight African American female is in the clinic for a wellness visit. A routine fasting lipid panel returned with the following results:
• Total cholesterol: 305 mmol/L
• Low-density lipoprotein (LDL): 180 mg/dl
• High-density lipoprotein (HDL): 30 mg/dl
• Triglycerides: 165 mg/dl

To prepare:

• Review Chapter 8 of the Tharpe et al. text and the McSweeney et al. article in this week’s Learning Resources.
• Review and select one of the three provided case studies. Analyze the patient information.
• Consider a differential diagnosis for the patient in the case study you selected. Think about the most likely diagnosis for the patient.
• Reflect on the appropriate clinical guidelines. Think about a treatment and management plan for the patient. Be sure to consider appropriate dosages for any recommended pharmacologic and/or nonpharmacologic treatments.
• Consider strategies for educating patients on the treatment and management of the disorder you identified as your primary diagnosis.

Post an explanation of the differential diagnosis for the patient in the case study you selected. Explain which is the most likely diagnosis for the patient and why. Then, based on the appropriate clinical guidelines, explain a treatment and management plan for the patient, including proper dosages for any recommended treatments. Finally, explain strategies for educating patients on the disorder.