Heart, lung & circulation
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Heart, lung & circulation · Apr 2018
Review Meta AnalysisThe Efficacy of Danshen Injection as Adjunctive Therapy in Treating Angina Pectoris: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.
During the last 40 years, Danshen injection has been widely used as an adjunctive therapy for angina pectoris in China, but its efficacy is not yet well defined. The objective of this study was to verify the efficacy of Danshen injection as adjunctive therapy in treating angina pectoris. ⋯ This study showed that Danshen injection as adjunctive therapy seemed to be more effective than antianginal agents alone in treating angina pectoris. However, more evidence is needed to accurately evaluate the efficacy of Danshen injection because of the low methodological quality of the included RCTs.
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Heart, lung & circulation · Apr 2018
Review Meta AnalysisHeart Valve Surgery Performed by Trainee Surgeons: Meta-Analysis of Clinical Outcomes.
Cardiac surgical units must balance trainee education with the duty to provide optimal patient care. This is particularly challenging with valvular surgery, given the lower volume and increased complexity of these procedures. The present meta-analysis was conducted to assess the impact of trainee operator status on clinical outcomes following valvular surgery. ⋯ Valvular surgery cases performed primarily by trainees were not associated with adverse perioperative outcomes. These findings suggest the rigorous design of cardiac surgical trainee programs can sufficiently mitigate trainee deficiencies. However, studies with longer follow-up duration and echocardiographic data are required to assess long-term durability and safety.
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Heart, lung & circulation · Apr 2018
Multicenter StudyThe Establishment of the Victorian Cardiac Outcomes Registry (VCOR): Monitoring and Optimising Outcomes for Cardiac Patients in Victoria.
The Victorian Cardiac Outcomes Registry (VCOR) was established in 2012 to ensure the safety and quality of cardiac based therapies across Victoria. As a clinical quality registry, VCOR monitors the performance of health services in both the public and private sectors, by measuring and reporting on trends in the quality of patient care over time, within individual hospitals, comparatively with other hospitals, and aggregated at the state level. The current paper describes the VCOR registry aims, methods, governance structure and progress to date. ⋯ The Victorian Cardiac Outcomes Registry is a clinical cardiac registry that commenced data collection in 2013, providing a detailed description of selected aspects of contemporary cardiology clinical practice in a majority of Victorian hospitals. This information enables hospitals and cardiac units to benchmark their practice, clinical outcomes and quality of care to other similar units and hospitals across the state. If replicated by other states in Australia, there will be the potential for important national comparisons, with the goal to foster continuous improvement in patient care and outcomes across the entire Australian health system.
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Heart, lung & circulation · Apr 2018
Randomized Controlled TrialEffects of Remote Ischaemic Conditioning on Heart Rate Variability and Cardiac Function in Patients With Mild Ischaemic Heart Failure.
Cardioprotective effects of remote ischaemic conditioning (RIC) in the setting of ischaemic heart disease have been shown recently. But the effects of RIC on heart rate variability (HRV) and cardiac function in patients with stable ischaemic heart failure (IHF) are still unknown. ⋯ This study suggests that a 6-week course of RIC treatment could improve cardiac function and HRV in patients with mild and stable IHF, supporting widespread use of RIC in the daily lives of these patients.