This thesis describes the management of patients treated with mechanical circulatory support devices for short- or long-term use. Twenty-four patients suffering from postcardiotomy heart failure were treated with a minimally invasive axial flow pump. The device was effective in unloading the failing left ventricle and in maintaining an adequate systemic circulation. The principles of perioperative monitoring, and pharmacological therapy are outlined. The pump was also used as an alternative to the heart-lung machine in conjunction with coronary artery bypass surgery. Together with a short-acting β-blocker, esmolol, the heart was decompressed and heart motion was reduced, facilitating bypass surgery on the beating heart. The anesthesiological considerations using this method are described. An implantable left ventricular assist device was used as a bridge to heart transplantation in 10 patients. We were interested in assessing the possibility to establish such a treatment program at a non-transplanting center. A multidisciplinary approach was enabled thanks to the organization of our Heart Center and due the close collaboration with our transplant center at Lund University. As one of the first centers in Europe, we established a well-functioning program with good results. Nine out of 10 of the bridge patients, with treatment times varying between 53 to 873 days, survived pump treatment and were eventually transplanted. The device proved to be powerful enough to support the failing heart and enable rehabilitation of the patients. Outpatient management became simpler when using the electrical device with belt-worn batteries. The uncertain durability and the high risk of device-related complications are shortcomings that limit its potential for more permanent treatment of heart failure. A new generation of small implantable axial blood flow pumps has therefore been developed. The principles of these pumps are based on the first generation axial flow pumps evaluated in this thesis. After several years of basic research and experimental studies, the first human implants have been performed. In the thesis, the hemodynamic effects of such a novel axial flow pump have been evaluated in an acute heart failure model. This technology holds great promise, both as a bridge to heart transplantation, and as a permanent circulatory support system. / On the day of the public defence the status of the article IV was: Submitted for publication.

Heart failure (HF) affects an estimated 5.8 million Americans, accounting for near 250,000 deaths each year. With shortages in available donor hearts, mechanical circulatory support (MCS) has emerged as a life-saving treatment for advanced stage HF. With growth in MCS use, a clinical and developmental need has emerged for a standard characterization and evaluation platform that may be utilized for inter-device comparison and system training. The goal of this research was to harness SynCardia's total artificial heart (TAH) to meet this need. We first sought to characterize the TAH in modern physiological terms - i.e. hemodynamics and pressure-volume loops. We then developed a model of HF using the TAH and mock circulatory system operating in a reduced output mode. We demonstrated that MCS devices could be incorporated and evaluated within the HF model. Finally, we characterized the operational envelope of SynCardia's Freedom (portable), Driver operating against varying loading conditions. Our results describe the hemodynamic envelope of the TAH. Uniquely, the TAH was found not to operate with time-varying elastance, to be insensitive to variations in afterload up to at least 135 mmHg mean aortic pressure, and exhibit Starling-like behavior. After transitioning the setup to mimic heart failure conditions, left atrial pressure and left ventricular pressure were noted to be elevated, aortic flow was reduced, sensitivity to afterload was increased, and Starling-like behavior was blunted, consistent with human heart failure. The system was then configured to allow ready addition of ventricular assist devices, which upon placement in the flow circuit resulted in restoration of hemodynamics to normal. Lastly, we demonstrated that the Freedom Driver is capable of overcoming systolic pressures of 200 mmHg as an upper driving limit. Understanding the physiology and hemodynamics of MCS devices is vital for proper use, future device development, and operator training. Characterization of the TAH affords insight into the functional parameters that govern artificial heart behavior providing perspective on differences compared to the human heart. The use of the system as a heart failure model has the potential to serve as a valuable research and teaching tool to foster safe MCS device use.

Diss. (sammanfattning) Stockholm : Karolinska institutet, 2007. / Härtill 6 uppsatser.

M.Cur. / The intra-aortic balloon pump is a volume displacement device that is used to provide partial support to the left ventricle. The IABP is an effective and general used circulatory support device. The nursing of a patient on IABP therapy requires demonstration of specific clinical competence by the critical care nurse. Clinical competence is defined as the ability of the critical care nurse to integrate his/her knowledge, skills and values and to demonstrate it during nursing of a patient on IABP with the aim to promote the patient's health. The aim of this research had been to evaluate the clinical competence of the critical care nurse during the nursing of a patient on IABP, and to make recommendations according to that regarding education, the practice and research. The relationship between the components of clinical competence namely knowledge, skills and values that were set as aim, were also established. A quantitative, contextual, descriptive, correlational research design had been used in the study to compile a self-developed evaluation instrument that had been used to evaluate the clinical competence of the critical care nurse. The evaluation instrument consisted of a questionnaire that evaluated the knowledge of the critical care nurse, a check list that evaluated the skills of the critical care nurse and a semantic differential scale that evaluated the values of the critical care nurse during the nursing of a patient on IABP therapy. After the data was analyzed, it appeared that critical care nurses don't possess the necessary knowledge and skills to nurse patients on IABP, and as such are not clinically competent to nurse patients on IABP. iii Recommendations were made regarding education, the practice and research in order to improve the clinical competence of critical care nurses during the nursing of a patient on IABP therapy

Ventricular assist devices are used in patients with heart failure refractory to standard management. Though left ventricular assist devices are more often used, patients with severe right ventricular dysfunction may also be treated with mechanical support. This case presents a patient with mixed cardiogenic and septic shock requiring placement of a percutaneous right ventricular assist device. A 38-year-old obese male with a medical history of alcoholism presented to the hospital with a complaint of dyspnea. He was found to have volume overload and was given intravenous diuretics. However, he had progressive renal insufficiency, hypotension requiring vasopressor support, and worsening respiratory status requiring mechanical ventilation. An echocardiogram showed a severely enlarged right ventricle, reduced RV function, normal RV wall thickness, moderate to severe tricuspid regurgitation, a severely dilated right atrium, ventricular septal flattening, and mild pulmonary hypertension. Left ventricular ejection fraction was 65-70%, LV diastolic function was normal, and there were no other significant valvular abnormalities. Troponin levels, ECG, and CT pulmonary angiography were unrevealing. Right heart catheterization showed a right atrial pressure of 29 mmHg (2 – 6 mmHg), right ventricular pressures of 50/24 mmHg (15-25/0-8 mmHg), pulmonary artery pressures of 56/35/43 mmHg (15-25/8-15/10-20 mmHg), a pulmonary capillary wedge pressure of 22 mmHg (6-12 mmHg), and a Prognostic Impact of Pulmonary Artery Pulsatility Index (PAPi) score of 0.3 to 0.6 (>1). Cardiac chamber oxygen saturations did not demonstrate intracardiac shunting. A right-sided mechanical circulatory support device was placed. The hospital course was complicated by sepsis due to pneumonia and presumed central line-associated bloodstream infection requiring antibiotic therapy, anemia secondary to device-related hemolysis requiring blood transfusions, renal failure requiring renal replacement therapy, and candidemia requiring antifungal therapy. Due to concern for device-associated infection, his central lines were replaced. The mechanical circulatory support device was able to be removed after ten days. Subsequent cardiac imaging did not reveal any other structural abnormalities, and a definitive cause for the right heart failure was not determined. Etiologies of right-sided heart failure include left-sided heart failure, pulmonary hypertension, chronic pulmonary disease, myocardial infarction, pulmonary embolism, myocarditis, valvular dysfunction, and congenital anomalies. Mechanical circulatory support may be used to support cardiac function, to allow the ventricular function to improve. Potential complications of mechanical circulatory support include infection, hemolysis, bleeding, device migration, and malfunction. RVAD therapy should be considered for patients with isolated right ventricular failure refractory to less invasive therapy.

Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) / The number of patients with chronic heart failure (HF) is at an all-time high and the incidence is expected to increase as our population ages. HF patients experience impaired cognition, exertional shortness of breath, and persistent fatigue; therefore, family members are needed to assist with their care at home. Although existing literature suggests that HF caregivers experience negative physical, mental, and social outcomes, there is a lack of studies guided by a conceptual model to determine factors associated with these outcomes. The purpose of this study was to determine factors associated with HF caregiver depressive symptoms, life changes, and quality of life guided by a conceptual model derived from Lazarus and colleagues’ transactional approach to stress. Psychometric properties of a new HF caregiver-specific quality of life (HFCQL) scale were also determined. Using a descriptive design, a convenience sample of 100 HF caregivers was interviewed by telephone using established measures along with the new HFCQL scale. The 16-item HFCQL scale, which measures physical, psychological, social, and spiritual well-being demonstrated evidence of internal consistency reliability (alpha = .89); 2-week test-retest reliability (ICC = .83); construct validity, as evaluated with factor analysis (loadings > .32) and hierarchical multiple regression (59% variance, p < .001); and criterion validity, as shown with significant (p < .001) correlations with the Bakas Caregiving Outcomes Scale (r = .73), SF-36 general and mental health (r = .45; .59), and a single overall QOL item (r = .71). Using hierarchical multiple regression, the model constructs accounted for 35% variance of depressive symptoms, 46% variance of life changes, and 59% variance of HFCQL (p < .001). Factors significantly associated with these outcomes included caregiving task difficulty, uncertainty, social support, and threat appraisal. Support for the conceptual model was provided, and potential areas for intervention development were identified. The new HFCQL scale showed potential as a quality outcome measure in HF caregivers, and might be used to screen HF caregivers for poor quality of life. Further research using the proposed conceptual model and the HFCQL scale is warranted. Tamilyn Bakas, DNS, RN, Chair

Akut hjärtsvikt definieras som en debut eller försämring av hjärtsvikt. Hjärtsvikt är ett allvarligt tillstånd där hjärtat inte upprätthåller adekvat hjärtminutvolym för att möta kroppens metaboliska behov vilket leder till trötthet och försämrad livskvalitet. Symtom som relaterar till systemisk vätskeansamling är vanliga vid akut hjärtsvikt. Vätskeansamling och hypoperfusion ökar morbiditet och mortalitet. Patienter med akut hjärtsvikt behöver således snabba och effektiva behandlingar, men också långtidsbehandling efter utskrivning. Avsvällande/vattendrivande behandling är hörnstenen i den terapeutiska behandlingen och loopdiuretika anses som det mest effektiva och snabbverkande läkemedlet. I dagsläget är empagliflozin ett rekommenderat läkemedel för behandling av kronisk hjärtsvikt med nedsatt ejektionsfraktion, då empagliflozins diuretiska egenskap kan stärka effekten av loopdiuretika.   Syftet med detta examensarbete var att beskriva effekter hos empagliflozin vid behandling av akut hjärtsvikt som en litteraturstudie. En sökning av randomiserade kliniska prövningar gjordes i PubMed där nio artiklar valdes ut för att ingå i detta examenarbete. Resultatet av de granskade artiklarna visade att empagliflozin som tilläggsbehandling till loopdiuretika ökade urinutsöndring hos patienterna. Resultatet visade också en statistiskt signifikant minskning av NT-proBNP i studierna vars behandlingstid var 5, 7, 15 och 30 dagar jämfört med placebo. Vidare minskade empagliflozin också plasmavolymen och mängden urinsyran i plasman. Två av studierna rapporterade en statistiskt signifikant ökning i andel röda blodkroppar i behandlingsgruppen. Insättning av empagliflozin, hos kliniskt stabila sjukhusvårdade patienterna i studien EMPULSE, gav en statistiskt signifikant klinisk nytta definierat som ett hierarkiskt kompositmått av död oavsett orsak, antal hjärtsviktsepisoder, tid till första hjärtsviktsepisod och klinisk meningsfull förbättring i KCCQ-TSS med vinstratio 1,36. Vidare gav empagliflozin en positiv effekt på viktminskning, ökad diuretisk respons, ödemlindring och ökad livskvalitet under 90 dagars behandling. Hos patienter som fick empagliflozin sänktes eGFR något till en början men återställdes senare. Det fanns dock inte någon statistiskt signifikant skillnad i eGFR mellan grupperna. En av studierna visade på en signifikant minskning av biomarkörer hos patienter som fick empagliflozin vilket gav en njurfunktionsskyddande effekt mot akut njurskada.  Slutsatsen var att empagliflozin gav gynnsamma effekter såsom till exempel avsvällande/vätskedrivande effekt och klinisk fördel hos patienter med såväl akut de novo som med dekompenserad kronisk hjärtsvikt vilket betydde att läkemedlet var både säkert och effektivt. I framtiden behöver effekterna dock styrkas genom ytterligare studier med större antal deltagare och under längre behandlingstid efter sjukhusutskrivning.

No description available.

Bakgrund   Hjärtsvikt är ett allvarligt medicinskt tillstånd som påverkar miljontals människor över hela världen. Det är inte bara en sjukdom i sig själv, utan snarare ett komplex syndrom som uppstår när hjärtats pumpförmåga är nedsatt, vilket leder till otillräcklig blodcirkulation till kroppens vävnader. Symtomen på hjärtsvikt är varierande och inkluderar tryck över bröstet, andfåddhet, trötthet och ödem. Egenvård spelar en avgörande roll i hanteringen av kronisk hjärtsvikt. Genom att ge patienter kunskap och verktyg att ta hand om sig själva kan deras livskvalitet förbättras och risken för sjukhusinläggningar minskas. Dorothea Orem teori om egenvård ger en ram för att förstå patientens roll i sin egna vård och betonar vikten av att anpassa vården efter patientens individuella behov och förmågor. Syfte Att belysa patienters upplevelser av egenvård vid kronisk hjärtsvikt. Metod En icke-systematisk litteraturöversikt baserad på 13 vetenskapliga artiklar med kvalitativa ansatser, hämtade från databaserna CINAHL och PubMed genom olika sökkombinationer. Artiklarna har kvalitetsgranskats utifrån Sophiahemmet Högskolas bedömningsunderlag för vetenskaplig klassificering och kvalitet och resultatet analyserades med integrerad dataanalys. Resultat Resultatet sammanställdes i två huvudkategorier och fem underkategorier. Den första huvudkategorin “En utmanande upplevelse” inkluderar underkategorierna “Emotionella reaktioner” “Att hantera symtom” och “Egenvårdsstrategier”. Den andra huvudkategorin “Upprätthålla egen hälsa” omfattar underkategorierna “Sociala stödets roll” och “Informationsbehov”. Resultatet från litteraturöversikten visade att patienter med hjärtsvikt står inför betydande utmaningar i sin egenvård, där en av de mest framträdande aspekterna var hanterandet av symtomen och den emotionella påverkan. Slutsats Denna litteraturöversikt visar att upplevelsen av egenvård vid hjärtsvikt är en utmaning som kräver anpassning till en ny livssituation. Utförandet av egenvård kan väcka starka emotionella reaktioner hos den enskilde. Genom att förstå hur dessa patienter påverkas av sin sjukdom, kan sjuksköterskan på ett professionellt sätt möta individens behov. / Background Heart failure is a serious medical condition that affects millions of people worldwide. It is not merely a disease in itself but rather a complex syndrome that occurs when the heart's pumping capacity is impaired, leading to insufficient blood circulation to the body's tissues. The symptoms of heart failure vary and include chest pressure, shortness of breath, fatigue, and edema. Self-care plays a crucial role in the management of chronic heart failure. By providing patients with the knowledge and tools to care for themselves, their quality of life can be improved, and the risk of hospital admissions can be reduced. Dorothea Orem's theory of self-care offers a framework for understanding the patient's role in their own care and emphasizes the importance of tailoring care to the patient's individual needs and capabilities Aim To describe patients' experience of self-care in chronic heart failure. Method A non-systematic literature review based on 13 scientific articles with qualitative approaches, retrieved from the databases CINAHL and PubMed through different search combinations. The articles have been quality-checked based on Sophiahemmet University's assessment tool for scientific classification and quality, and the results were analyzed with integrated data analysis. Results The results were compiled into two main categories and five subcategories. The first main category “A challenging experience” includes the subcategories “Emotional reactions”, “To manage symptoms” and “Self-care strategies”. The second main category "Maintaining one's own health" includes the subcategories "The role of social support" and "Information needs”. The results from the literature review showed that patients with heart failure face significant challenges in their self-care, where one of the most prominent aspects was managing the symptoms and the emotional impact. Conclusions This literature review shows that the experience of self-care in heart failure is a challenge that requires adaptation to a new life situation. The performance of self-care can arouse strong emotional reactions in the individual. By understanding how these patients are affected by their illness, nurses can meet the individual's needs in a professional manner.

Aims: The overall aims of the study were to identify the information needs of Chinese HF population and to examine the effectiveness of a heart failure disease management programme (HFDMP) on patients' clinical outcomes, health-related quality of life (HRQoL), and psychological status. / Background: Heart failure (HF) is a major and increasing public health problem globally. In China, there were approximately 4,000,000 patients with HF in the year 2000 and the number is continuously increasing due to the aging population. HF greatly influences patients' lives in all aspects. Programmes are therefore in imperative need to manage the disease and increase patients' sense of well-being. / Conclusion: Findings of the study provide further evidence that the simple combination of education and telephone follow-up could improve patients' medication adherence, HRQoL, and psychological status among Chinese HF population. Moreover, booklet developed in the study, to a certain extent, can be used as the tool for clinical HF education in China. The study also provides clues and direction for health professionals to develop interventions under the situation of busy clinical work and limited resources in Chinese health care practice. / Methods: First of all, a questionnaire survey (phase I, n=347), of which the questionnaire validation (n=247) was also included, and qualitative interviews with 26 patients and 24 health professionals (phase II) were consecutively conducted to know the information needs of patients with HF. According to the results of phase I and phase II studies, a booklet was developed to address the information needs of patients. Then a prospective controlled trial (phase III, n=160) was undertaken to examine the effectiveness of a HFDMP, including the components of two-session inpatient booklet education and weekly telephone follow-up for 4 weeks after discharge, on patients' performance of 6-minute walking test (6-MWT), clinical outcomes [death, cardiac-related admission (CRA) and length of stay (LoS) in hospital], medication adherence, HRQoL, and psychological status (depression and anxiety). Data collection was carried out at baseline, at 4 weeks (programme end) and 3 months (study end) after hospital discharge. Inferential statistics including independent t-test, paired t-test, Chi-square test, Fisher's exact test, the Mann-Whitney U test, and the Generalized Estimating Equation model, were used to compare the baseline and various outcome variables within and between groups. / Results: According to the results of phase I, the questionnaire entitled "Heart Failure Patient Learning Needs Inventory" is valid and reliable to measure learning needs among Chinese HF population. Based on the information needs identified in phase I and II, infonnation about HF regarding definition, symptoms, risk factors, classification, treatment strategies, and self-management strategies such as weight and symptoms monitoring, low-salt diet, medication compliance, exercise, and emotion management was included in the booklet. The accuracy, readability, and applicability of the booklet were established by an expert panel and potential users. / With regard to the effectiveness of the HFDMP on patients' outcomes, patients in the experimental group showed greater improvement through the study period than those in control group in the following aspects: a significantly better medication adherence (p &lt; 0.001) as measured by the Chinese version of the Morisky Medication Adherence Scale, a significantly better HRQoL (p &lt; 0.001) as assessed by the Chinese version of the Minnesota Living with Heart Failure Questionnaire, and a significantly greater reduction in depression and anxiety (p &lt; 0.001) as assessed by the Chinese version of the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale. However, effectiveness of the programme on patients' 6-MWT, death, CRA, and LoS were not confirmed in the present study. / Yu, Mingming. / Adviser: Sek Ying Chair. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 73-06, Section: B, page: . / Thesis (Ph.D.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2011. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 267-310). / Electronic reproduction. Hong Kong : Chinese University of Hong Kong, [2012] System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Available via World Wide Web. / Electronic reproduction. [Ann Arbor, MI] : ProQuest Information and Learning, [201-] System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Available via World Wide Web. / Abstract and appendix also in Chinese.