Heart & lung : the journal of critical care
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We know little about long-term exercise behavior and adherence in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). ⋯ This investigation provides a description of long-term exercise behavior and adherence in a sample of patients with COPD. The categories suggest that physical benefits are related to consistent adherence, whereas mental health improvements are related to regular exercise with some flexibility in the schedule. Future research should test interventions to improve exercise adherence in patients with COPD and identify characteristics of patients who are most likely and least likely to adhere over time.
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Comparative Study
Needs of family members of critically ill patients: a comparison of nurse and family perceptions.
Critical illness often occurs without warning. leaving families feeling vulnerable and helpless with no clear knowledge of what to expect from health care professionals or patient outcome. The challenge for critical care nurses (Registered Nurses [RNs]) is to provide care for aggressively managed, critically ill patients while attending to the needs of stressed family members. ⋯ Family needs were categorized according to Leske's dimensions of assurance, proximity, information, comfort, and support. By implementing specific cost-effective strategies to increase family access to the patient, to improve communication with the physician and the health care team, and to create a family-friendly environment, critical care RNs can meet family member needs and improve the quality of nursing care.
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A 24-year-old man developed systolic hypertension as a result of renal contusion, perinephric fluid collection, and renal compression (Page kidney) after blunt renal trauma. The patient was treated with an angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor for 30 days, after which his blood pressure normalized and the medications were discontinued. ⋯ Transient hypertension may develop in patients after blunt renal injury as a result of Page phenomenon. Appropriate medical therapy is warranted and may be successful because spontaneous resolution may be delayed or not occur at all.
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There are several species of coagulase-negative Staphylococci (CoNS) that are part of the normal skin flora and are relatively noninvasive/low virulence organisms. CoNS are important pathogens in patients with prosthetic devices and are the most common pathogen associated with prosthetic valve endocarditis. ⋯ There has been only one reported case of non-mitral valve IE due to CoNS in a patient with hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy. To the best of our knowledge, we report the first case of Staphylococcal hominis mitral valve endocarditis in a patient with hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy.