The Journal of cardiovascular nursing
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Over the past decade, advancements in cardiac surgery occurred secondary to improvements in technology and the desire for a less invasive approach to operations in general. Minimally invasive cardiac surgery has progressed from partial sternotomy incisions to totally endoscopic open-heart procedures with robotic-assistance. There are 2 major companies that produce robotic equipment for use in cardiac surgery. ⋯ Recent advancements are now being directed at congenital heart disease. The use of robotic-assisted totally endoscopic atrial septal defect closure is a tremendous advancement in congenital cardiac surgery. The future of robotic cardiac surgery will hopefully expand to cover more advanced valve procedures, congenital heart defects, and other procedures once robots are further modified for pediatric use.
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Preventive therapies have been shown to reduce morbidity and mortality from cardiovascular disease. However, health care providers are not addressing prevention and not treating patients according to evidence-based guidelines. ⋯ The skills and attributes of the health care provider, such as expertise and knowledge, skills for assessing readiness for behavior change, relationship building skills, and skill in considering the patient's attitudes and beliefs about the disease or treatment are discussed. Principles of communication to guide the patient-provider encounter, key behavioral change strategies, and use of technology are reviewed and resources available to support prevention goals are presented.
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Sleep problems and symptoms of sleep disturbance are very prevalent in patients with heart failure (HF). Numerous contributing factors include sleep-related breathing disorders, increasing age, medications, anxiety and depression, and comorbidities. Thus, the cardiovascular nurse has an important role in the recognition and management of sleep-related problems in persons with HF. This article provides an overview of sleep disturbances in patients with HF, suggests evidence-based strategies for managing the sleep problems, and identifies pertinent areas for future nursing inquiry.
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Venous thrombosis involving the deep veins is a major US health problem that affects over 2.5 million people annually. The most serious complication of a deep venous thrombosis (DVT) is pulmonary embolism (PE), which is associated with 50,000 to 200,000 deaths each year. ⋯ Then it reviews treatment of DVT, highlighting the nurse's role. A discussion of DVT prophylaxis based on patient risk follows.