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- Ahmadi, Nasser, 1958, et al.
(author)
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Breathlessness in everyday life from a patient perspective: A qualitative study using diaries
- 2014
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In: Palliative & supportive care. - Cambridge, United Kingdom : Cambridge University Press. - 1478-9515 .- 1478-9523. ; 12:3, s. 189-194
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Objective: Breathlessness is a subjective symptom, which makes it difficult to define and understand. The aim of the present study was to illuminate how patients suffering from breathlessness experience their everyday life. Method: The study was a qualitative study, and the focus of the analysis was the patients’ descriptions of their experiences of breathlessness using a diary with two unstructured questions for a period of 7 consecutive days. Sixteen participants: 7men, mean age 65+7 (range 55–73 years old), and 9 women, mean age 65+9 (range 50–72 years old) participated in the study. Results: Two themes emerged from the analysis: 1) Impaired quality of life and 2) symptom tolerance and adaptation. The theme “impaired quality of life” included the categories limited physical ability, psychological burdens, and social life barriers. The theme “symptom tolerance and adaptation” included importance of health care, social support, hobbies and leisure activities, and coping strategies. Significance of results: The findings in our study showed that patients, in spite of considerable difficulties with shortness of breath, found relief in several types of activities, in addition to drug therapy. The result indicates that the “biopsychosocial model” is an appealing approach that should be discussed further to gain a better understanding of breathlessness.
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| 2. |
- Ahmadi, Nasser, 1958, et al.
(author)
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Clinical characteristics of asymptomatic left ventricular diastolic dysfunction and its association with self-rated health and N-terminal B-type natriuretic peptide: a cross-sectional study
- 2016
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In: Esc Heart Failure. - : Wiley. - 2055-5822. ; 3:3, s. 205-211
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Aims Left ventricular hypertrophy, obesity, hypertension, and N-terminal B-type natriuretic peptide (Nt-proBNP) predict left ventricular diastolic dysfunction with preserved systolic function (DD-PSF). Self-rated health (SRH) is shown to be associated with chronic diseases, but the association of SRH with DD-PSF is unclear. In light of the clinical implications of DD-PSF, the following goals are of considerable importance: (1) to determine the role of SRH in patients with DD-PSF in the general population and (2) to study the association between Nt-proBNP and DD-PSF. Methods and results The current study is a cross-sectional study conducted on a random sampling of a rural population. Individuals 30-75 years of age were consecutively subjected to conventional echocardiography and tissue velocity imaging. Data were collected on 500 (48%) men and 538 (52%) women (n = 1038). DD-PSF was the main outcome, and SRH and Nt-proBNP were the primary indicators. Diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and obesity were accounted for as major confounders of the association with SRH. DD-PSF was identified in 137 individuals, namely, 79 men (15.8%) and 58 women (10.8%). In a multivariate regression model, SRH (OR 2.95; 95% CI 1.02-8.57) and Nt-proBNP (quartile 4 vs. quartile 1 OR 4.23; 95% CI 1.74-10.26) were both independently associated with DD-PSF. Conclusions SRH, evaluated based on a descriptive question on general health, should be included in the diagnostic process of DD-PSF. In agreement with previous studies, our study confirms that Nt-proBNP is a major indicator of DD-PSF.
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