Mini Case Study: Harold's Heartache
Harold is 46 and recently divorced. Since he and his wife separated, he noticed that he has been putting on some extra pounds, and his weight has climbed from 185 to 205 lbs (height is 5'11") within the past 9 months. He's been stressed with the divorce settlement and has started smoking again. Both of Harold's parents had heart disease and he's been on hypertension medications for 5 years. When he went to see his doctor, his blood pressure was143/85 mmHg and a lipid panel revealed that his total cholesterol is 260 mg/dL with an LDL level of 167 mg/dL and an HDL level of 35 mg/dL. He shared with his doctor that he used to exercise regularly, but had been physically inactive for over 6 months.
1) What factors put Harold at risk for heart disease? Discuss which are modifiable and which are not.
2) What is Harold's risk of developing heart disease? Please show your work for any calculations.
3) Discuss Harold's cholesterol levels and ratio and compare them to recommendations.
4) What dietary changes would you recommend for Harold? Would you recommend any specific diet plans? Why or why not?
5) How would you assess Harold's readiness to change, and what might be some meaningful goals for him to work towards?