The Journal of cardiovascular nursing
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A limited number of studies have examined the interaction between gender and age with regard to extent of prehospital delay. Our aim was to examine gender and age differences associated with prehospital delay in Chinese patients presenting with ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). ⋯ Male elderly patients (aged ≥65 years) and women (aged ≤64 and ≥75 years) with STEMI were more likely to delay seeking timely medical care. These gender and age differences were explained by different education, stable income, medical insurance, typical chest pain, and cognition toward heart diseases.
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Patients with heart failure (HF) often worry about resuming sexual activity and may need information. Nurses have a role in helping patients to live with the consequences of HF and can be expected to discuss patients' sexual concerns. ⋯ Cardiac nurses in Germany rarely practice sexual counseling. It is a phenomenon that is silent. Education and skill-based training might hold potential to "break the silence."
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In patients with hypertension, psychosocial factors, such as depressive symptoms and anxiety, are associated with reduced quality of life and triple the risk of nonadherence with medical treatment regimens. Thus, screening tests are crucial to identify patients who may require further assessment and treatment. ⋯ This study supported the reliability and validity of the MASQ-SF-C, indicating that it can be used for assessing depressive symptoms and anxiety concurrently in Chinese-speaking patients with hypertension.
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Mitral valve repair is the standard therapy for patients with severe mitral regurgitation. Currently, robotic mitral valve repair is the least invasive surgical approach and an alternative to the traditional sternotomy. Recent studies and newer guidelines on mitral valve repair advocate for earlier referral to surgery, resulting in better long-term outcomes of valve function and decreased left ventricular remodeling. ⋯ Patients should be given the option for minimally invasive robotic mitral valve repair if they have no other risk factors such as peripheral vascular disease that prevent femoral cannulation for cardiopulmonary bypass or the need for concomitant cardiac surgery such as coronary artery bypass. With the equality of robotic outcomes compared with full sternotomy valve surgery comes the need for more research into what kind of complex valve repairs can be done, which methods of repair work best with robotic techniques, whether the learning curve for robotic surgery can be shortened with more widespread use, and what outcomes can be improved upon from this standpoint. Healthcare professionals need to be aware of all choices for patients who need surgical intervention for their mitral regurgitation.