Coronary artery disease (CAD) is a major and growing cause of death in India, and much of its burden is linked to modifiable risk factors such as hypertension, diabetes, tobacco and alcohol use, obesity, physical inactivity and an unhealthy diet. Patients’ knowledge and practice of prevention are often limited, and nurse-led education may help to close this gap.

To assess pre-test and post-test knowledge and practice regarding prevention of CAD among patients with modifiable risk factors, to evaluate the effect of a planned teaching programme (PTP), to examine the correlation between knowledge and practice, and to find the association between pre-test knowledge and selected socio-demographic variables.

A quantitative, pre-experimental one-group pretest–posttest study, guided by King’s goal attainment theory, was conducted at Sanjay Gandhi Memorial Hospital, Rewa, Madhya Pradesh, in February 2023. Sixty hospitalised patients with modifiable risk factors of CAD were recruited by non-probability purposive sampling. Data were collected with a socio-demographic proforma, a structured knowledge questionnaire (maximum score 30) and a practice checklist. A PTP delivered with a PowerPoint presentation was given after the pre-test, and the post-test was done on the 8th day. Data were analysed with frequencies, percentages, means, standard deviations, the paired t-test and the chi-square test.

Before the PTP, 23.3% (n = 14) of patients had poor, 63.3% (n = 38) average and 13.3% (n = 8) good knowledge. After the PTP, none had poor knowledge, 20.0% (n = 12) had average and 80.0% (n = 48) had good knowledge. The mean knowledge score increased from 15.00 ± 4.75 to 23.10 ± 3.60 (mean gain 8.10; paired t = 24.17, df = 59, p < 0.001), and the mean practice score increased from 7.24 ± 3.78 to 9.59 ± 1.24 (paired t = 6.40, p < 0.001). Knowledge and practice scores were significantly correlated. Pre-test knowledge was associated with age, sex, education, dietary habit, bad habits, awareness of CAD and family history of heart disease, but not with occupation.

Baseline knowledge of CAD prevention among patients with modifiable risk factors was inadequate, and a single planned teaching programme produced a large short-term gain in knowledge and a smaller gain in practice. Such programmes may be built into routine ward teaching. Because the design lacked a control group and follow-up was limited to the 8th day, the findings should be confirmed in controlled studies with longer follow-up.