Hyperlipidemia: Enhancing Patient Education and Clinical Support to Improve Self-Efficacy

Hyperlipidemia is a chronic, progressive disorder routinely encountered in primary care practice. In the United States, coronary artery disease and cerebrovascular disease are the leading causes of death. Hyperlipidemia is a modifiable risk factor for the development of coronary artery disease, cerebrovascular disease, and peripheral artery disease. However, many individuals fail to recognize the severity of the health consequences associated with hyperlipidemia. Most often, hyperlipidemia is the direct result of unhealthy lifestyle behaviors. Comprehensive care falls short in primary care settings, often due to non-compliance with necessary lifestyle behavior changes. Primary care patients' lack of knowledge and awareness signals a critical need to improve patient education and self-efficacy. The purpose of this Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Scholarly Project was to assess the impact of individualized patient education on self-efficacy, which impacts one’s ability to embrace sustainable lifestyle behavior changes. The level of adherence to lifestyle modifications, particularly diet, has a direct impact on lipoprotein levels. Individualized patient education based on individual atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) risk scores combined with enhanced clinical support improved the level of self-efficacy, thereby increasing the ability of patients to embrace sustainable lifestyle behavior changes.