Evidence-based education on cardiovascular disease risk reduction following a preeclampsia complicated pregnancy

Abstract

Preeclampsia is a condition characterized by hypertension and microvascular disease that is diagnosed during pregnancy. While the acute symptoms of preeclampsia resolve during the postpartum period, extensive evidence has shown a history of preeclampsia establishes a higher risk for developing cardiovascular disease (CVD) —the leading killer of women—later in life. Yet, the majority of affected women are unaware of their elevated risk. The goal of this project was to develop an educational resource to increase awareness of risk, promote self-advocacy and provide risk reduction strategies for cardiovascular disease among women after a preeclampsia complicated pregnancy. Following a comprehensive review of literature, existing evidence was appraised and curated to address the knowledge deficit among women with a history of preeclampsia regarding future risk for heart disease and strategies to attenuate their risk. Health information from leading authorities including the Preeclampsia Foundation (PF) and the American Heart Association (AHA) was synthesized to produce efficient and effective evidence-based patient education to promote awareness and strategic approaches to primary and secondary prevention strategies, guided by the Orem Self Care Deficit Theory. Stakeholders at the academic medical center implementation site, including nurse educators and the patient education resource team, informed the project implementation in collaboration with content experts. Anticipatory guidance to promote the project outcomes were incorporated into patient education materials provided at discharge to all women with a diagnosis of preeclampsia. Patient education was implemented at the Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center (OSUWMC) in December 2018 and was linked to the patient’s MyChart and accessible on OSUWMC’s patient education platform. Equipped with the awareness to bridge the current gap in clinical practice, women at risk for CVD after preeclampsia should be educated to self-advocate for their long-term cardiovascular and overall health.