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- Bondestam, E, et al.
(author)
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Pain assessment by patient and nurse in the early phase of acute myocardial infarction
- 1987
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In: Journal of Advanced Nursing. - : Wiley-Blackwell. - 0309-2402 .- 1365-2648. ; 12:6, s. 677-682
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- In 47 patients admitted to the coronary care unit (CCU) at Sahlgren's Hospital in Göteborg, Sweden, due to acute myocardial infarction (MI) the intensity of pain independently assessed by the patient and by the nurse on duty was evaluated during the first 24 hours in CCU. Pain was assessed according to a modified numerical rating scale graded from 0-10, where 0 meant no pain and 10 meant the most severe pain. A positive correlation between the patients’ and nurses’ assessments was found (r = 0-76; P < 0-001). However, the nurses under-estimated the patients’ pain in 23% of the situations and over-estimated it in 20%. Over-estimation was particularly found when heart rate and blood pressure increased. Many patients scoring their pain to fairly high degrees were not given pain-relieving treatment. Treatment with morphine did not cause substantial pain relief in a substantial number of patients. A significantly positive correlation was found between the patients’ and nurses’ assessments of pain, although underestimation as well as over-estimation occurred. A few patients with severe pain were not treated and when treatment was given it was often ineffective.
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| 3. |
- Herlitz, Johan, et al.
(author)
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Delay time in suspected acute myocardial infarction and the importance of its modification
- 1989
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In: Clinical Cardiology. - : John Wiley & Sons, Inc.. - 0160-9289 .- 1932-8737. ; 12:7, s. 370-374
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- This paper summarizes the present knowledge of delay time in suspected acute myocardial infarction. More than 50% of deaths in acute myocardial infarction occur outside of the hospital setting. Recent experiences indicate that early and even late mortality can be dramatically reduced by intervention in the early phase. This points up the importance of bringing patients with suspected acute myocardial infarction to the hospital as early in the course of MI as possible. The predominating cause of delay is the time it takes for the patient to decide to go to hospital regardless of a previous history of cardiovascular disease. Patients arriving in hospital in later stages of MI are at a very high risk of mortality. Therefore one of the most important problems to be resolved is how to reduce delay time in suspected acute myocardial infarction. Such efforts have been surprisingly few. Limited experiences indicate that public education can reduce delay time dramatically.
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| 4. |
- Herlitz, Johan, et al.
(author)
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Effect of media campaign on delay times and ambulance use in suspected acut myocardial infarction
- 1989
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In: American Journal of Cardiology. - : Excerpta Medica, Inc.. - 0002-9149 .- 1879-1913. ; 64:1, s. 90-93
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The early phase in suspected acute myocardial infarction (AMI) is particularly critical. More than 50% of deaths from coronary artery disease occur outside the hospital mainly due to ventricular fibrillation.1 Recent experiences strongly indicate that early intervention with thrombolysis2–4 and β blockers5,6 can limit myocardial damage and thereby improve prognosis. Delay times in suspected AMI have remained stable over the years. Therefore, a media campaign was started in the urban area of Göteborg, Sweden, with the intention to shorten delay times and to increase ambulance use in patients with suspected AMI.
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| 7. |
- Herlitz, Johan, et al.
(author)
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Mortality and morbidity in suspected acute myocardial infarction in relation to ambulance transport
- 1987
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In: European Heart Journal. - : Oxford University Press. - 0195-668X .- 1522-9645. ; 8:5, s. 503-509
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- In 681 patients admitted to the coronary care unit (CCU) at Sahlgrenska hospital between 1 May 1983 and 31 May 1984, due to suspected acute myocardial infarction (MI), the hospital mortality and morbidity were related to whether the patients were transferred to hospital by ambulance or not. In the ambulance group acute MI developed in 48% (during the first 3 days in hospital) compared with 41% in the non-ambulance group (P= 0.10). The overall mortality rate was 10.4% in the ambulance group versus 3.8% in the non-ambulance group (P= 0.001). Corresponding figures for MIpatients were 193% versus 9.1% (P=0.02) In all, patients referred by ambulance had larger infarcts according to maximum serum enzyme activity and a higher incidence of congestive heart failure. Similar findings were observed when MI patients were analysed separately. On the other hand, the incidence of ventricular fibrillation, requirement for lidocaine, and the course of pain was fairly similar in the two groups. In a multivariate analysis, infarct size was the major independent predictor for early mortality rate. We conclude that patients who call for an ambulance due to suspected acute MI appear to have a different early mortality and morbidity pattern compared to those who do not. The most obvious observation was a higher early mortality. These patients therefore might be the most suitable candidates for early intervention studies.
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| 9. |
- Herlitz, Johan, et al.
(author)
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Variability of chest pain in suspected acute myocardial infarction according to subjective assessment and requirement of narcotic analgesics
- 1986
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In: International Journal of Cardiology. - : Elsevier Ireland Ltd. - 0167-5273 .- 1874-1754. ; 13:1, s. 9-22
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- In 653 patients with suspected acute myocardial infarction the course of pain according to subjective assessment and morphine requirement is described. Patients were asked to score pain from 0-10 until a pain-free interval of 12 hours appeared. Different categories of patients constructed from clinical aspects were compared. Although the variability between groups was fairly small, subgroups were found in which the initial intensity of pain was more marked and the duration of pain was longer. Thus patients with larger infarcts according to maximum serum enzyme activity and patients with Q-wave infarction had more severe pain initially and also a longer duration and a higher morphine requirement compared with patients with a lower serum enzyme activity or a non-Q-wave infarction. Other groups with a more severe course of chest pain were those with more intensive pain at home, electrocardiographic signs of acute myocardial infarction on admission to hospital, and finally those with a high systolic blood pressure or a high rate-pressure product on admission to the Coronary Care Unit. We thus conclude that there is a variability of chest pain in suspected acute myocardial infarction and that there are defined groups of patients in which a more severe course of chest pain could be expected.
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| 10. |
- Herlitz, Johan, et al.
(author)
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Variability, prediction and prognostic significance of chest pain in acute myocardial infarction
- 1986
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In: Cardiology. - : S. Karger AG. - 0008-6312 .- 1421-9751. ; 73:1, s. 13-21
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The variability of chest pain is described in 389 patients with acute myocardial infarction. Whereas 17% were free from severe pain after arrival in hospital, 11% required more than 10 analgesic injections. In 27% of the series analgesics were given more than 24 h after arrival in hospital. Predictors for the severity of chest pain were the rate-pressure product and degree of chest pain soon after arrival in hospital as well as electrocardiographic signs of myocardial infarction at entry. Patients with more severe chest pain had a higher 2-year mortality rate and a higher incidence of ventricular fibrillation and congestive heart failure during hospitalization.
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