A survey of coronary risk factors and B-type natriuretic peptide concentrations in cardiac nurses from Europe: do nurses still practice what they preach?
BACKGROUND
From a previous survey of cardiac nurses attending a scientific conference, we learned that these nurses adopted a healthier lifestyle than the general population.


OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to determine the overall profile of cardiac risk factors in a similar cohort and determine whether cardiac nurses continue to 'practice what they preach' in this regard. Secondly, we examined the practical value of screening a large cohort of individuals within a short time frame (total of 8 hours screening time) and determined the range of BNP concentrations within a 'healthy' cohort.


METHODS
Data on CHD risk factors were collected with a short self-report questionnaire. The sample consisted of 122 cardiac nurses from 19 countries attending a European cardiac nursing conference held in Stockholm. A venous blood sample was collected into a tube containing potassium ETDA. B-type natriuretic peptide was measured on-site with the use of a portable fluorescence immunoassay kit.


RESULTS
Most participants were female (89%). Participants ranged in age from 23 to 60 years with a mean age of 41 (S.D. 9.4). Eleven percent - all female - reported they were current smokers, 27% (34) had a BMI >25 and 27% of the sample stated they did not exercise regularly. Almost half (48%) of the sample reported a family history of CHD. As expected, all BNP-values were within the normal range. There were significant differences in BNP on the basis of sex (P<0.05) and age (P<0.05) and a trend towards increasing BNP concentrations with progressively higher BMI scores (P=0.06).


CONCLUSIONS
This study reconfirms the likelihood that many cardiac nurses heed their own advice on lifestyle modification to reduce cardiovascular risk and therefore provide a good role model for the promotion of primary and secondary prevention initiatives.
Jaarsma
Tiny
T
Undertaking Nursing Interventions Throughout Europe (UNITE) Research Group, The Netherlands. t.jaarsma@thorax.azg.nl
Stewart
Simon
S
De Geest
Sabina
S
Fridlund
Bengt
B
Heikkilä
Johanna
J
Mårtensson
Jan
J
Moons
Philip
P
Op Reimer
Wilma Scholte
WS
Smith
Karen
K
Strömberg
Anna
A
Thompson
David R
DR
D000328:Adult; D001294:Attitude to Health; D002309:Cardiology; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000097:blood* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D048909:Diabetes Complications; D005060:Europe / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D016231:Fluorescence Polarization Immunoassay; D015438:Health Behavior; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000150:complications; D008019:Life Style; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000379:methods; D008875:Middle Aged; D020097:Natriuretic Peptide, Brain / Q000097:blood*; D009720:Nurse Clinicians / Q000193:education / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D009765:Obesity / Q000150:complications; D018570:Risk Assessment / Q000379:methods; D012307:Risk Factors
D020097:Natriuretic Peptide, Brain