Specialist area
Cardiovascular disease
What do cardiovascular dietitians help with?
Cardiovascular dietitians educate and empower people with any kind of cardiovascular condition to make the food and drink choices that support their health. These conditions range from high blood pressure and high cholesterol, atrial fibrillation, dyslipidaemias, through to complex areas such as heart failure.
Who do cardiovascular dietitians help?
Your cardiovascular dietitian can help you if you have been told that you are having trouble with things like high cholesterol, high blood pressure, angina or heart disease, peripheral artery disease, atrial fibrillation, or if you are recovering from a cardiac event such as a heart attack. They can also help if you have heart failure and will work with other members of the care team to support you from a nutritional perspective.
Your cardiovascular specialist dietitian will help you and your family to manage your condition. They will also support you during any treatment you have.
How do cardiovascular dietitians work?
Your cardiovascular dietitian will support you to manage your condition with changes to your food and drink. Any changes they recommend will be based on your condition, treatment you are currently receiving, blood results, weight, medications and personal circumstances as well as what you normally eat and drink.
Your cardiovascular dietitian will work with you and your family, nurses, doctors, and caterers. They may change their advice as your condition changes.
You may see your cardiovascular dietitian one-to-one or in group sessions, depending on the type of service that you are accessing.
Where do cardiovascular dietitians work?
You are likely to see your cardiovascular dietitian in an outpatient department or hospital, or in a community setting as part of a rehabilitation programme. However if you have been admitted to hospital for treatment then they also may see you there. They may also offer an over the phone consultation if needed.
Further info:
If you are a dietitian working or interested in cardiovascular prevention and management, join our Cardiovascular Specialist Group.
- British Heart Foundation
- Heart UK
- BDA Food Fact Sheet: Heart Health