With more than 700,000 new diagnoses annually, congestive heart failure (CHF) is a chronic condition that affects the chambers of the heart. When not managed correctly, the disease rapidly progresses to substantial fluid volume overload that impacts activities of daily living and the overall quality of life. The financial implications for poor CHF management cost a mean annual medical expenditure of $33,427 per patient per year. The need for a diagnostic and prognostic at-home protocol is needed in the medical community, as there is currently no such tool on the market. Donabedian's framework was used to guide the formulation and interpretation of this research. The purpose of this project was to design a CHF protocol using evidence-based research for clinicians making home visits to homebound patients with a primary diagnosis of CHF with an individualized protocol focusing on disease management, in home support system, knowledge base and financial factors for homebound patients. The protocol was released through a snowballing campaign to clinicians who work with CHF, transitional care, or homecare who then evaluated the protocol on its perceived efficacy if integrated into practice. Findings were analyzed using simple descriptive statistics by 32 nurses and other health care professionals who responded work in home care, cardiology, medical surgical nursing hospitalists, or skilled nursing facilities. Thirty-one of the 32 respondents deemed the protocol useful and stated a clinical need of protocol as evidenced by completed the AGREE II Questionnaire. The findings demonstrate that the CHF Practice Protocol provides clinicians with an evidence-based guidance to manage homebound patients with CHF on a small scale.

African Americans suffer disproportionately higher incidence of congestive heart failure (CHF) at an earlier age of onset and with more rapid progression compared to other races. Due to this escalating prevalence of CHF within the African American population and the lack of culturally responsive support for the caregiving role, African American family caregivers of adult CHF patients face greater challenges and suffer increased caregiver burden, stress, depression, and financial strain compared to European American caregivers. The purpose of this project was to conduct a systematic literature review to find the recommendations that target African American family caregivers of adult CHF patients. The Joanna Briggs Institute model for systematic review (JBIM-SR), and the caregiver stress theory proposed by Tsai, guided this project. A review of multiple databases yielded 118,078 articles. After removal of duplicates and exclusion of articles not consistent with the purpose of the review, 1 article was selected. A second reviewer completed an independent search of the databases using the same exclusion/inclusion criteria and identified the same review. The selected article was analyzed and graded using the JBIM-SR grading tools. Family Heart Failure Home Care, a telephone coaching intervention adapted to the cultural preferences of the African American family caregivers of adult CHF patients, was suggested as an effective culturally sensitive intervention. Results of this project can promote positive social change by improving the care and well-being of the African American community. Nurses at the project site can use the findings to provide evidence-based care to the African American family caregivers of adult CHF patients.

Managing heart failure patients in the outpatient setting can pose a challenge for nurses and health care staff due to the need to educate patients on self-care skills and management of disease. Several factors, including health literacy and numeracy, need to be considered when developing an education program for heart failure patients to promote self-care management. The purpose of this project was to provide nursing staff with a clinical practice guideline (CPG) that incorporated health and numeracy literacy assessment into an individualized education program. The Johns Hopkins nursing evidence-based practice (EBP) model, the situation-specific theory of heart failure (HF) self-care, and Wagner's chronic care model guided the development and implementation of this project. The practice-focused question for this project asked whether evidence informs a CPG intended to assess health literacy and numeracy assessment and promote an enhanced individualized education intervention in an outpatient HF population. A literature review using 20 articles from 2006-2018 was completed. Five articles were selected to review levels of evidence, and three articles were chosen to support the development of the CPG. The CPG was reviewed, refined, and validated by an expert panel of HF nurses and physicians. The CPG might support a positive social change in the practice setting by improving the tools for nurses to assess health literacy in the HF patient population and provide individualized education to influence self-care interventions.

Natriuretic peptides are a family of hormones released by several different tissues and exert various physiological functions by coupling with cell surface receptors and increasing intracellular cyclic gyanylyl monophosphate (cGMP). Atrial Natriuretic Peptide (ANP) and B-type Natriuretic Peptide (BNP) are released in response to mechanical stretch of the atrial or ventricular myocardium, respectively and their plasma level is markedly elevated during myocardial infarction and heart failure. Heart failure in turn is associated with symptoms suggestive of perturbed gastrointestinal function such as nausea, indigestion and malabsorption. Intragastric pressure was monitored using a balloon catheter in anesthetized mice. The pressure before and after treatment with a 10 ng/g intravenous dose of ANP, BNP, CNP or vehicle was compared and analyzed. All the natriuretic peptides significantly decreased intragastric pressure compared to vehicle. These effects were attenuated or absent in natriuretic peptide receptor type-A (NPR-A) knockout mice. Furthermore, the effect of BNP on gastric emptying and intestinal absorption was examined using a meal consisting of fluorescence labeled dextran gavage fed to awake mice. BNP significantly decreased gastric emptying and absorption as compared to vehicle control. Using a cryoinfarction acute myocardial injury model, our investigation showed that mice with acute cryoinfarction had a significantly lower gastric emptying and absorption of a gavage fed meal compared to sham. Circulating BNP levels were significantly higher in the infarcted mice compared to controls. Immunostaining showed amplified distribution of the non-muscle myosin type-II (MCH-II) in BNP treated mice. MCH-II is involved in movement of intestinal villi. In summary, natriuretic peptides in general and BNP in particular, have gastrointestinal effects including reduced gastric contractility, emptying and absorption. In addition to their effect on smooth muscle relaxation mediated by cGMP, natriuretic peptides appear to have an effect on distribution of MHC-II in cells of the intestinal villi. We postulate that these effects are aimed at mediating a 'communication' between the cardiovascular and gastrointestinal systems. Further characterization of such a link will not only add a dimension to the understanding of the pathophysiology of heart failure but also enhances the search for further therapeutic targets.

Chronic and complex conditions are a significant concern within contemporary health care systems. The ageing population and improvements in survival from acute cardiac illness have seen an increasing incidence of heart failure (HF). Heart failure represents a significant burden on both the individual and the wider community. Despite effective pharmacotherapy and established evidence-based management guidelines, the overall prognosis from HR is poor. The complexity of the disease process and the highly developed evidence-base makes HR an excellent exemplar for the management of a range of chronic conditions. Studies undertaken as part of the ‘Carving a niche for Australian practice nurses’ project have led to the development of a model of care that integrates the role of the practice nurse with those of other health care providers to improve outcomes for people with chronic and complex conditions. Whilst the model of care developed from these studies requires empirical testing to validate its utility, it is currently being incorporated in clinical planning and ongoing pragmatic research. The systematic, sequential derivation of data from this ‘Carving a niche for Australian practice nurses’ project will inform the development of primary care and provide a conceptual framework for future intervention studies in Australian general practice. / Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

<p>Heart failure is a common disease which is difficult to diagnose. To aid physicians in diagnosing heart failure, a decision support system has been proposed. Parameters useful to the system are suggested. Some of these, such as age and gender, should be provided by the physician, and some should be derived from electro- and phonocardiographic signals.</p><p>Various methods of signal processing, such as wavelet theory and principal components analysis, are described. Heart failure should be diagnosed based on the parameters, and so various forms of decision support systems, such as neural networks and support vector machines, are described. The methods of signal processing and classification are discussed and suggestions on how to develop the system are made.</p>

<p>Syftet med denna litteraturstudie var att enligt vetenskapliga studier, publicerade mellan år 2002 och 2007, beskriva omvårdnad av patienter med kronisk hjärtsvikt. Metoden som användes var en litteraturstudie med beskrivande design. Information hämtades från databaserna Medline, Academic Search Elite och Cochrane Library, samt ur Vård i Nordens webbarkiv. Sökorden som användes var ”chronic heart failure” och ”nursing”. Totalt inkluderades 22 studier i denna litteraturstudie. Ur studierna kunde fem inriktningar inom omvårdnaden av patienter med hjärtsvikt identifieras. Dessa var omvårdnad genom patientutbildning, telefonrådgivning, fysisk träning, hemsjukvård och hjärtsviktsmottagning. Resultatet visade på ett positivt samband mellan fysisk träning och ökad livskvalitet hos patienter med hjärtsvikt i samtliga studier som undersökte dessa två variabler. Majoriteten av studierna som undersökte effekten av telefonrådgivning till patienter med hjärtsvikt fann att antalet inläggningar på sjukhus hade minskat efter att patienterna under en period fått telefonrådgivning. I de studier som granskats låg fokus till stor del på att stärka patienternas egenvård. Två inriktningar inom omvårdnaden av patienter med hjärtsvikt utmärkte sig som de mest effektiva metoderna. Dessa var fysisk träning och telefonrådgivning.</p> / <p> </p><p>The aim of this literature study was to describe the care of patients with chronic heart failure according to scientific studies published between the years 2002 and 2007. A descriptive design was used. Information was gathered from the following databases: Medline, Academic Search Elite and Cochrane Library. Vård i Norden webb archive was also used for collecting articles. Keywords used in the search were "chronic heart failure" and "nursing". A total of 22 articles were included in this study. The articles in this study showed five different themes in the care of patients with heart failure, these were: patient education, telephone care, physical exercise, home-based care and heart failure clinics. The result showed a positive correlation between physical exercise and quality of life, this was found in every article covering these two variables. Most studies concerning telephone care found that the number of hospital readmissions decreased after an intervention based on telephone care. In the included studies a lot of focus was on strengthening patient's ability to self care. In this study physical exercise and telephone care were the most effective methods of care for patients with heart failure.</p>

<p>För många närstående förändras livet radikalt när  en anhörig diagnostiseras med hjärtsvikt. Att leva med hjärtsvikt är som att "knacka på dödens dörr och aldrig veta vad som är att vänta av morgondagen". Att stanna hemma och vårda en en anhörig under palliativ fas innebär stora påfrestningar i närståendes liv. Syfte: Att belysa närståendes upplevelser när anhörig med hjärtsvikt vårdas palliativt i hemmet. Metod: Studien utfördes som en allmän litteraturstudie. Tolv kvalitativa och tre kvantitatva vetenskapliga artiklar ingick. Resultat:  Närstående som vårdade en anhörig palliativt i hemmet upplevde social isolering, stress och ångest och krav på att vara en "stöttepelare". Närstående upplevde också att informationen om tillstånd och prognos var bristfällig. Upplevelsen av att känna stöd från vårdpersonal varierade och närstående ville vara delaktiga i vården. Slutsats: Det är klarlagt att hjärtsvikt har en betydande påverkan på närståendes liv. Närståendes situation behöver studeras vidare och då speciellt när det gäller palliativ hemsjukvård.</p> / <p>For many next of kin important changes took place when heart failure was diagnosed. Meanings of living with heart failure emerged as "knocking on death's door" yet surviving and never knowing what to expect of tomorrow. Staying at home in the palliative phase of life brings multiple complex issues for next of kin who is subject to stress during a along period of time. The aim of the study was: To illuminate next of kin's experiences when a partner with heart failure is taken care of in palliative home care setting. Method: A general litterature review based on twelve qualitative and three quantitative scientific articles. Findings: Next of kin in palliative home care setting described situations of being restricted, they experienced stress and anxiety, and took on the role of being "a pillar of strength". Next of kin also described how they lacked adequate medical information. Som next of kin experienced  that they received support from healthcare personnel but some lacked concrete support. Next of kin also felt it important to have influence on decisions. Conclusion: It is clear that heart failure seriously affects the lives of next of kin. This group need to be further investigated, especially when it comes to palliative care at home.</p>

Heart failure (HF) is a debilitating chronic illness that afflicts millions of Americans and carries a poor prognosis, likely due to insufficient medication and low-salt diet adherence, which exacerbates HF symptoms and leads to frequent rehospitalizations. Specific reasons underlying non-adherence among HF patients are unclear. Studies investigating reasons for adherence among HF patients have shown that correlates of poor adherence include demographic (i.e., age, income), functional (i.e., NYHA), and psychosocial (i.e., social support, depression) variables. Research studies among individuals with chronic diseases suggest that an individual’s beliefs about medicines may explain adherence, but this research is limited among HF patients. The purpose of this study was to examine how psychosocial variables and beliefs about medicines are related to self-reported medication and low-salt diet adherence among individuals with HF, while controlling for demographic and physical functioning variables. This study had three aims: 1) To examine the relationships between psychosocial variables (e.g., depression, hostility, social support) and adherence; 2) To examine the relationship between beliefs about medicines and adherence; and 3) To investigate whether beliefs about medicines moderate the relationship between psychosocial variables and adherence. An ethnically-diverse sample of 105 HF patients completed several measures assessing depressive symptoms, level of hostility, perceived social support, beliefs about medicines, and medication and low-salt diet adherence. Structural equation modeling revealed that higher depression, higher hostility, and a stronger belief that medications are harmful and/or overused by doctors were significantly related to worse medication adherence. Further, participants who believed that medicines are necessary and had few concerns about them were more likely to adhere to a low-salt diet. Age, income, and number of co-morbid illness also were significantly related to low-salt diet adherence beyond contributions of beliefs about medicines scales and psychosocial variables. Thus, overall it appears that different beliefs about medicines differentially influence medication versus low-salt diet adherence, and psychological disposition may not underlie low-salt diet adherence. These results can inform interventions of health care practitioners in addressing adherence issues with HF patients.

Postoperative heart failure (PHF) remains a major determinant of the outcome after cardiac surgery. However, characteristics of and risk factors for PHF after valve surgery have received little attention. Post-ischaemic disturbances of myocardial metabolism that may contribute to PHF and are amenable to metabolic treatment have been identified early after coronary surgery (CABG). Knowledge derived from these studies may not be applicable to other patient groups. We therefore studied myocardial energy metabolism in 20 elective patients undergoing aortic valve replacement (AVR) for isolated aortic stenosis (AS). The metabolic studies indicated that myocardial oxidative metabolism had not fully recovered when the procedure was completed. Free fatty acids were the only major substrates taken up by the heart. Signs of preoperative and postoperative metabolic adaptation with substantial uptake of glutamate, previously demonstrated in patients with coronary artery disease, were found. Postoperative infusion of glutamate, (2 mL/kg body weight and hour of 0.125 M solution) based on assessment of myocardial glutamate requirements in CABG patients, resulted in a two-fold increase in myocardial glutamate uptake and a seven-fold increase in AV differences across the leg. This was associated with a significant myocardial uptake of lactate and metabolic changes in the leg suggesting mitigation of net amino acid loss and peripheral tissue lipolysis. Characteristics of and risk factors for PHF were evaluated in 398 patients undergoing isolated AVR for AS from 1 January 1995 to 31 December 2000. These were compared with 398 patients, matched for age and sex, undergoing on-pump isolated CABG. Forty-five AVR and 47 CABG patients fulfilled criteria for PHF and these were studied in detail. PHF usually presented at weaning from cardiopulmonary bypass. After CABG it was closely associated with preoperative ischaemic events and intraoperatively acquired myocardial infarction. Potential causes and eliciting events of PHF after AVR for AS were obvious only in one-third of the patients. Risk factors for PHF after AVR for AS indicated either pre-existing myocardial dysfunction, increased right or left ventricular after-load, or intraoperatively acquired myocardial injury. PHF was associated with high early mortality after CABG, whereas the consequences of PHF after AVR for AS became evident only with time, resulting in a 42% five-year mortality. Although PHF had a different temporal impact on late mortality after CABG and AVR for AS, it emerged as the statistically most significant risk factor for mortality occurring within 5 years from surgery both after AVR for AS and after CABG. Potential implications of our findings include needs for greater focus on preoperative surveillance of patients with AS for optimal timing of surgery, mitigation of intraoperatively acquired myocardial injury and tailoring of treatment for PHF. Furthermore, the findings have implications for long-term follow up of AS patients after surgery.