Challenges of changing lifestyle to reduce risk for cardiovascular disease.

Changing lifestyle factors to reduce cardiovascular disease risk is an important role for nursing in the care of persons at high risk of developing cardiovascular disease and for those with established disease. Nurses are faced with numerous challenges when implementing effective lifestyle change. This article will review the importance and effectiveness of behaviorally focused lifestyle change, discuss the challenges that changing lifestyle presents, describe effective clinical models to facilitate change, and discuss the important role that nurses play in achieving prevention through lifestyle change.