Progress in cardiovascular nursing
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Prog Cardiovasc Nurs · Jan 2002
Review Case ReportsEmergent cardiovascular risk factor: homocysteine.
Homocysteine is an independent, modifiable risk factor for cardiovascular disease. It is an intermediate amino acid formed during the metabolism of methionine. ⋯ Risk factors for elevated homocysteine and intervention with B vitamins are discussed. Cardiovascular nurses are encouraged to facilitate homocysteine awareness through a variety of educational means.
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Prog Cardiovasc Nurs · Jan 2002
ReviewAtrial fibrillation: the newest frontier in arrhythmia management.
At least 2.3 million people in the United States have atrial fibrillation. Since the risk for developing atrial fibrillation increases with age, the number of people with atrial fibrillation is expected to rise sharply. Atrial fibrillation is a complex condition that adversely influences mortality, morbidity, quality of life, and use of health care resources. ⋯ Nursing assessment and treatment of patients' response to atrial fibrillation are discussed. Recommendations for patient education are offered. A plan describing specific nursing diagnoses, outcomes, interventions, and activities for care of patients with atrial fibrillation is presented.
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Prog Cardiovasc Nurs · Jan 2001
ReviewThe natural history of recovery following sudden cardiac arrest and internal cardioverter-defibrillator implantation.
The purposes of this review are to 1) summarize current knowledge regarding the "natural history of recovery" (physical functioning, psychological adjustment, and neurologic impairments) following sudden cardiac arrest and internal cardioverter-defibrillator implantation over the first year; and 2) discuss the implications for the development of nursing intervention programs based on the natural history of recovery. The natural history serves as a basis for understanding the recovery experiences of sudden cardiac arrest survivors as well as determining how intervention programs might help the most.
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Prog Cardiovasc Nurs · Jan 2000
Multicenter StudyThe emergency department experience of chest pain patients and their intention to delay care seeking for acute myocardial infarction.
This study investigated how patients' emergency department experience was related to their intention to delay action in response to future symptoms of acute myocardial infarction. A sample of 426 persons admitted to the emergency department with a chief complaint of chest pain and released from the emergency department were contacted by telephone. Patients were queried about their affective response to the emergency department experience, their satisfaction with emergency department staff communication, their intention to delay prompt action for acute myocardial infarction symptoms in the future, the influence of others in the decision to seek care, and medical and demographic status. ⋯ The results also showed that those patients who were prompted by health professionals to go to the emergency department were less likely to report intentions to delay for future symptoms (p = 0.036). It is important that emergency department staff reassure chest pain patients who are sent home that they did the right thing by coming to the emergency department for their symptoms. Providers need to be particularly sensitive to feelings of embarrassment.