Assessing Cardiovascular Risk

This three month module gives practical guidance to health care practitioners (e.g. doctors, nurses, health care assistants, pharmacists, pharmacy assistants and health trainers) for the assessment of people who may be at risk of developing cardiovascular disease. The subject is covered in a logical manner from the epidemiology and pathophysiology of cardiovascular disease to the assessment of risk. The programme is taught to comply with the Department of Health Best Practice Guidance (2009) and NICE Lipid Guidance (2008).

• Demonstrate a detailed knowledge of the potential long term outcomes of cardiovascular disease risk upon the individual.
• Critically analyse the principles underpinning approaches to the assessment of cardiovascular risk.
• Retrieve and critically analyse information from a variety of sources to assess the person at risk of cardiovascular disease.
• Recognise and identify those at risk of cardiovascular disease.
• Select and formulate an appropriate approach to the reduction of cardiovascular disease risk for individuals at all levels of cardiovascular disease.
• Utilise data from the assessment of cardiovascular risk to communicate the concept of risk to the individual and develop individual care plans.
• Demonstrate effective writing skills appropriate to level 5.
• Understand national guidance and its relevance to delivering cardiovascular risk assessments in practice.

Not applicable.

The module is summatively assessed by submission of a 2,000 word case study on the management of a person who could be at risk of developing cardiovascular disease, using data collected in the Activity Pack.