Tailor your approach
While it is important to emphasise the seriousness of CV-related risks, this does need to be done in a sensitive way. It is important that health professionals’ approach with empathy first and education thereafter. Using negative and stigmatising language is rarely motivating. The role of the nurse is sensitively to encourage and positively reinforce the importance of making changes that will lead to CV risk reduction.
Tailoring treatment conversations around the individual needs of the person is key, especially in light of the newer options available. Now we have evidence of the cardiovascular and renal benefits of certain diabetes drugs in addition to their blood glucose lowering capability, it is important we consider this when deciding on a therapy.