Comprehensive Patient Assessment and Management

Patient History and Risk Assessment

The American Heart Association recommends that a complete medical history must capture cardiovascular diagnoses, surgical procedures with ventricular function assessment, all comorbidities including peripheral arterial disease, cerebrovascular disease, pulmonary disease, kidney disease, diabetes mellitus, musculoskeletal and neuromuscular disorders, depression, and other pertinent diseases 1, 2
The American College of Cardiology suggests documenting all known diagnoses with severity assessment and impact on quality of life and functioning 2, 3
The Journal of Internal Medicine states that problems managing day-to-day activities, not living independently, limited ability to understand treatment recommendations, advanced age, and limited access to health care are social risk factors that need to be identified 3
The British Journal of Pharmacology notes that pharmacists obtain better medication histories than physicians and reduce the rate and severity of medication errors during acute admissions 6

The Journal of Internal Medicine recommends evaluating risk-benefit of each drug, possible interactions and adverse effects, adherence to treatment, and unmet needs 3
The American Heart Association suggests ensuring patient is taking appropriate doses of aspirin, clopidogrel, β-blockers, lipid-lowering agents, and ACE inhibitors or angiotensin receptor blockers as per ACC/AHA guidelines 1

The American Heart Association recommends that physical examination must assess cardiopulmonary systems including pulse rate and regularity, blood pressure, auscultation of heart and lungs, palpation and inspection of lower extremities for edema and presence of arterial pulses, post-cardiovascular procedure wound sites, orthopedic and neuromuscular status, and cognitive function 1, 2
The Circulation journal states that obtaining resting 12-lead ECG and assessing patient's perceived health-related quality of life or health status using standard questionnaires is essential 1, 8

The American College of Cardiology recommends creating a treatment plan that prioritizes goals and outlines intervention strategies for risk reduction 1, 10
The Praxis Medical Insights suggests documenting specific referral information, symptom severity level, barriers to care, and follow-up timeline 9

The Journal of Internal Medicine recommends conducting medication reviews at appropriate intervals (annually minimum, more often for high-risk patients) 3
The British Journal of Pharmacology notes that integrating pharmacists into workflow can reduce medication errors 6