Abstract
Alzheimer's disease, other causes of dementia and cardiovascular diseases have many common risk factors, as hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, obesity, diabetes, nicotinism, low physical activity. There is enough evidence-based research proving that brain vascular disease leads to earlier manifestation and accelerates the progress of dementia (also in Alzheimer 's disease and other neurodegenerations) People with higher risk of dementia, Alzheimer's disease, or other cognitive disorders certainly belong among the frequent, cardiology out-patient departments.
However, their risk or even cognitive disorder remains often unrecognised. Primary, secondary and tertiary prevention may significantly reduce the incidence of dementia in population.
Timely recognition of cognitive disorder and dementia and their proper management may have positive impact on quality of life and care of patients with cardiologic diagnoses. The aim is to propose a nursing care algorithm of cardiology patients with respect to the risk or occurrence of cognitive disorder.
Methods: literature review, secondary data analysis, Czech Alzheimer's society consultation, workshop with health care specialists. This topic has been also addressed by the international project ERASMUS+ (Sidecar) - analysis of specialised health professionals' education programmes and curriculum.
Results: Algorithm of care of cardiology out-patient department patients has been proposed: providing information about main risk factors and first symptoms of dementia, targeted nursing/medical assessment focusing on cognition, testing of cognitive functions. Conclusion: Providing information about dementia, cognitive disorder, their risk factors, and focused assessment may improve care of patients in the cardiology out-patient department and their quality of life.