Benny is a 54-year-old man whose lifestyle puts him at high risk for cardiovascular disease. He has a sedentary job and lifestyle aside from walking his dog once a day. His diet is unhealthy and high in cholesterol. He smokes 40 cigarettes per day. His father died of a heart attack in his late 40s, indicating a genetic risk factor.

1. Cardiovascular
Disease
Case Study
Benny is a 54 year old male. He
w o r ks i n i n dus try so has a
moderately physical career but
outside of this his only regular
exercise is walking his dog,
Sherbert, once a day for
approximately a mile. His diet is
lacking in variety, predominated by
chicken and rice, both at home and
in take-out form. His cholesterol is
higher than normal, and his blood
pressure is elevated for a man his
age. Benny smokes 40 cigarettes a
day and his father died of a heart
attack in his late 40ʼs.
Your Task
Write a letter of recommendation to Benny discussing his risk of developing coronary heart disease based on his
lifestyle and genetics. Explain to him the effect each of these risks has (in terms of epidemiology and time).
Make a series of suggestions to this patient stating what he could do to change his risk of developing CHD and how
each change would cause a positive effect. Suggest some leaflets from the British Heart Foundation publications:
http://www.bhf.org.uk

2. Cardiovascular
Disease
Case Study