Patient Education to Self-Management

Abstract

In this chapter, a heedful description of the advanced role of the nurse in the multidisciplinary team concerns the education interventions to promote self-management strategies in adult patients with congenital heart disease. The first subsection of this chapter addresses the main risk factors that undermine the patients’ adherence to pharmacological therapy. More specifically, education strategies to sustain patients’ self-management in oral anticoagulation therapy have been addressed. Furthermore, the second subsection focuses on describing the lifestyle habits in this population. Mainly attention has been placed on modifiable risk habits such as heart-healthy nutrition, physical activity, smoking, tobacco use, substance use, and body art. The last one provides insights regarding the epidemiology, etiology, and clinical management of infective endocarditis.