Coronary heart disease (CHD) is the most common cause of morbidity and mortality in
Canadian women. Despite advances in screening and research, CHD continues to pose a
significant health care burden to Canadian women. This integrative literature review explores
how a Nurse Practitioner (NP) in primary care can optimize risk stratification for CHD in
Canadian women. A systematic search of the contemporary literature identified 11 key articles.
These were analyzed using the Critical Appraisal Skills Programme tools to assess relevance and
the strengths and weaknesses of the evidence. Three key themes emerged from the literature and
are explored in detail: the limitations of current risk prediction models for risk stratification in
women; the emergence and evolving importance of female-specific risk factors; and additional
adjunctive testing (coronary artery calcium screening) that may improve the accuracy of risk
prediction models in women. ...
