| 1. |
- Barbareschi, Giorgio, et al.
(författare)
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Educational Level and the Quality of Life of Heart Failure Patients: A Longitudinal Study
- 2011
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Ingår i: Journal of Cardiac Failure. - : Elsevier Science B.V., Amsterdam. - 1071-9164 .- 1532-8414. ; 17:1, s. 47-53
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: Lower education in heart failure (HF) patients is associated with high levels of anxiety, limited physical functioning, and an increased risk of hospitalization. We examined whether educational level is related to longitudinal differences in quality of life (QoL) in HF patients. Methods and Results: This research is a substudy of the Coordinating study evaluating Outcomes of Advising and Counselling in Heart failure (COACH). QoL of 553 HF patients (mean age 69, 38% female, mean left ventricular ejection fraction 33%) was assessed during their hospitalization and at 4 follow-up measurements after discharge. In total 32% of the patients had very low, 24% low, 32% medium, and 12% high education. Patients with low educational levels reported the worst QoL. Significant differences between educational groups (P less than .05) were only reported in physical functioning, social functioning, energy/fatigue, pain, and limitations in role functioning related to emotional problems. Longitudinal results show that a significantly higher proportion of high-educated patients improved in functional limitations related to emotional problems over time compared with lower-educated patients (P less than .05). Conclusions: Patients with low educational levels reported the worst physical and functional condition. High-educated patients improved more than the other patients in functional limitations related to emotional problems over time. Low-educated patients may require different levels of intervention to improve their physical and functional condition.
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| 2. |
- Belonje, Anne M S, et al.
(författare)
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Endogenous erythropoietin and outcome in heart failure.
- 2010
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Ingår i: Circulation. - 0009-7322 .- 1524-4539. ; 121:2, s. 245-51
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- BACKGROUND: Endogenous erythropoietin is increased in patients with heart failure (HF). Previous small-scale data suggest that these erythropoietin levels are related to prognosis. This study aims to analyze the clinical and prognostic value of erythropoietin levels in relation to hemoglobin in a large cohort of HF patients. METHODS AND RESULTS: In patients hospitalized for HF, endogenous erythropoietin levels were measured at discharge and after 6 months. In anemic patients, the relation between erythropoietin and hemoglobin levels was determined by calculating the observed/predicted ratio of erythropoietin levels. We studied data from 605 patients with HF. Mean age was 71+/-11 years; 62% were male; and mean left ventricular ejection fraction was 0.33+/-0.14. Median erythropoietin levels were 9.6 U/L at baseline and 10.5 U/L at 6 months. Higher erythropoietin levels at baseline were independently related to an increased mortality at 18 months (hazard ratio, 2.06; 95% confidence interval, 1.40 to 3.04; P<0.01). In addition, persistently elevated erythropoietin levels (higher than median at baseline and at 6 months) were related to an increased mortality risk (hazard ratio, 2.24; 95% confidence interval, 1.02 to 4.90; P=0.044). The observed/predicted ratio was determined in a subset of anemic patients, 79% of whom had erythropoietin levels lower than expected and 9% had levels higher than expected on the basis of their hemoglobin. Multivariate Cox regression analysis revealed that a higher observed/predicted ratio was related to an increased mortality risk (hazard ratio, 3.52; 95% confidence interval, 1.53 to 8.12; P=0.003). CONCLUSIONS: Erythropoietin levels predict mortality in HF patients, and persistently elevated levels have an independent prognostic value. In anemic HF patients, the majority had a low observed/predicted ratio. However, a higher observed/predicted ratio may be related to an independent increased mortality risk.
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| 3. |
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| 4. |
- Ben Gal, Tuvia, et al.
(författare)
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Self-care and communication issues at the end of life of recipients of a left-ventricular assist device as destination therapy
- 2013
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Ingår i: Current opinion in supportive and palliative care. - : Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. - 1751-4266. ; 7:1, s. 29-35
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- PURPOSE OF REVIEW: The purpose of this review is to provide an overview of self- care and communication issues at the end of life of patients with left-ventricular assist devices (LVADs) for destination therapy, based on recent research on end-of-life communication in other diseases.RECENT FINDINGS: For many patients with advanced heart failure, LVADs as destination therapy improve survival and quality of life. However, LVADs can be associated with complications, new comorbidities or worsening of previous conditions, resulting in decreased quality of life and limited prognosis, raising the need for planning palliative and end-of-life care. Open communication addressing the consequences of the LVAD implantation for daily life and the future (including advance directives) is advised in different stages of the treatment, involving a multidisciplinary team taking care of these complex patients and their caregivers.SUMMARY: Healthcare professionals treating patients before and after LVAD implantation need to take an active role in end-of-life discussions and be able to communicate information regarding expected complications, quality of life and prognosis to the patients and caregivers. Research is needed addressing optimal ways and timing of communication with LVAD patients and families.
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| 5. |
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| 6. |
- Berben, L, et al.
(författare)
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Which interventions are used by healthcare professionals to enhance medication adherence in cardiovascular patients? : A survey of current clinical practice
- 2011
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Ingår i: European Journal of Cardiovascular Nursing. - : Oxford University Press (OUP). - 1474-5151 .- 1873-1953. ; 10:1, s. 14-21
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background Complex medication regimens are often required to manage cardiovascular diseases. As non-adherence, which can have severe negative outcomes, is common among cardiovascular patients, various interventions to improve adherence should be implemented in daily practice.Aim To assess which strategies cardiovascular nurses and allied health professionals utilize to (1) assess patients' adherence to medication regimen, and (2) enhance medication adherence via educational/cognitive, counseling/behavioral, and psychological/affective interventions.Method A 45-item questionnaire to assess adherence assessment and interventional strategies utilized by health care professionals in daily clinical practice was distributed to a convenience sample of attendants of the 10th Annual Spring Meeting of the European Society of Cardiology Council on Cardiovascular Nursing and Allied Professions conference in Geneva (Switzerland) in March 2010. Respondents not in direct clinical practice were excluded. Descriptive statistics were used to describe practice patterns regarding adherence management.Results Of 276 distributed questionnaires, 171 (62%) were returned, of which 34 (20%) were excluded as respondents performed no direct patient care. Questioning patients about non-adherence during follow-up was the most frequently reported assessment strategy (56%). Educational/cognitive adherence enhancing interventions were used most frequently, followed by counseling/behavioral interventions. Psychological/affective interventions were less frequently used. The most frequent intervention used was providing reading materials (66%) followed by training patients regarding medication taking during inpatient recovery (48%). Slightly over two-thirds (69%) reported using a combination of interventions to improve patient's adherence.Conclusion Educational interventions are used most in clinical practice, although evidence shows they are less effective than behavioral interventions at enhancing medication adherence.
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| 7. |
- Byrne, Molly, et al.
(författare)
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Communicating about sexual concerns within cardiac health services : Do service providers and service users agree?
- 2013
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Ingår i: Patient Education and Counseling. - : Elsevier. - 0738-3991 .- 1873-5134. ; 92:3, s. 398-403
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- ObjectiveSexual assessment and counselling is a recommended, yet underprovided and challenging, aspect of cardiac rehabilitation. We compared the views of cardiac healthcare providers and patients in terms of their experiences of communication about sexual issues.MethodsCardiac patients (n = 382) completed telephone surveys and hospital cardiac rehabilitation staff (n = 60) and general practitioners (n = 61) returned postal questionnaires.ResultsPatients reported that sex was rarely discussed, yet nearly half of patients said they would have liked this opportunity. Most general practitioners (70%) reported not addressing sex with their patients and the majority of cardiac rehabilitators (almost 61%) reported that sexual problems were poorly addressed in their service. Patients perceived fewer barriers to communication (the main barrier was lack of privacy) than health professionals (the primary barrier for general practitioners was lack of time, and for cardiac rehabilitation staff, lack of training).ConclusionAll participants agreed that sexual assessment and counselling is currently poorly implemented. A gap exists: patients, who generally want sexual issues to be addressed, perceive fewer barriers to communication than healthcare providers, who fear causing anxiety and discomfort by raising sexual issues with their patients.Practice implicationsDeveloping brief interventions for healthcare providers and information materials for patients are recommended.
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| 8. |
- Byrne, Molly, et al.
(författare)
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The CHARMS Study : cardiac patients' experiences of sexual problems following cardiac rehabilitation
- 2013
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Ingår i: European Journal of Cardiovascular Nursing. - : Sage Publications. - 1474-5151 .- 1873-1953. ; 12:6, s. 558-566
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background:Sexual problems are common among cardiac patients. Further information is required on patients' experiences of sexuality and preferences for sexual counselling.Aim:To characterise sexual dysfunction and related factors among patients following cardiac rehabilitation and examine related treatment delivery.Methods:Telephone interviews with 382 patients (32% response rate) recruited from six hospital rehabilitation centres.Results:Seventy-nine per cent were male; average age was 64 years (SD 9.8). Forty-seven per cent of the total sample reported no sexual relations in the previous year, and nearly a half of sexually active respondents reported at least one sexual problem. Erectile dysfunction (reported by 33%) and lack of interest in sex (reported by 10%) were the most common problems for men and women respectively. Twenty-three per cent reported that sex had deteriorated for them since their cardiac event, and for half of these this was considered a serious problem. In logistic regression analysis, higher anxiety (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale) and being male were associated with reporting a sexual problem (χ(2) = 37.85, p<0.001). Sixty-six per cent reported that sex was never discussed by a health professional and satisfaction with this aspect of care was low. Patients wanted these issues to be addressed and the majority (63%) claimed they would find it easy to discuss sexual problems with a health professional.Conclusions:Sexual inactivity and sexual problems are common in this group. Health professionals should address sexual issues with their patients, ideally in a private setting and within the broader context of addressing psychological wellbeing.
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| 9. |
- Clark, Alexander M, et al.
(författare)
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Effective communication and ethical consent in decisions related to ICDs
- 2011
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Ingår i: Nature reviews. Cardiology. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1759-5010 .- 1759-5002.
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- This Review examines recommendations and principles that promote good decision-making with regard to the insertion, deactivation, and potential malfunction of implantable cardioverter-defibrillators (ICDs). This guidance is important because ICDs are now used for primary and secondary prevention of arrhythmias in more than 20 diverse clinical populations, which accounts for the exponential increase in insertion rates over the past decade. Current guidelines require clinicians to provide personalized, culturally appropriate, and easy to understand information to patients on the benefits and harms of proposed treatment choices; however, obtaining valid informed consent for insertion and deactivation of ICDs is challenging. Initiating early conversations with patients and continuing this dialogue over time, implementation of localized care protocols, increased collaboration (particularly between cardiac and palliative care teams), and the provision of training for all health professionals involved in the care of these patients, can help to ensure that adequate informed consent is maintained throughout their care. In addition to providing information, health professionals should identify and address high levels of anxiety in patients and their next of kin and promote effective communication throughout decision making. In the future, use of standardized checklists or decision aids based on a clear understanding of the principles underlying key topics could support this process.
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| 10. |
- Conraads, Viviane M, et al.
(författare)
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Adherence of heart failure patients to exercise: barriers and possible solutions A position statement of the Study Group on Exercise Training in Heart Failure of the Heart Failure Association of the European Society of Cardiology
- 2012
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Ingår i: European Journal of Heart Failure. - : Oxford University Press (OUP): Policy B. - 1388-9842 .- 1879-0844. ; 14:5, s. 451-458
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The practical management of heart failure remains a challenge. Not only are heart failure patients expected to adhere to a complicated pharmacological regimen, they are also asked to follow salt and fluid restriction, and to cope with various procedures and devices. Furthermore, physical training, whose benefits have been demonstrated, is highly recommended by the recent guidelines issued by the European Society of Cardiology, but it is still severely underutilized in this particular patient population. This position paper addresses the problem of non-adherence, currently recognized as a main obstacle to a wide implementation of physical training. Since the management of chronic heart failure and, even more, of training programmes is a multidisciplinary effort, the current manuscript intends to reach cardiologists, nurses, physiotherapists, as well as psychologists working in the field.
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