Living with Atrial Fibrillation: An Analysis of Patients' Perspectives.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to determine the perceptions of patients with atrial fibrillation regarding the disease, to reveal their feelings, thoughts and wishes, and to investigate their perspectives and coping behaviors towards their condition. METHODS: Phenomenological methodology was used. The study population consisted of a total of 225 patients treated by the cardiology department of a university hospital, while the study sample consisted of 32 patients who met the inclusion criteria. A semistructured interview addressed perceptions of patients with atrial fibrillation regarding the disease. Data were collected by asking the participants the three questions on the In-depth Individual Interview Form. Data were analyzed using the continuous comparative method of Colaizzi. RESULTS: In the study sample, 50.0% of participants were female, 69.0% were married, and the mean age was 66.90 years (± 7.90 years). As a result of the content analysis, four main themes and 15 subthemes were identified: patient's mental status regarding the disease, patient's social status regarding the disease, patient's physical condition regarding the disease, and disease management and coping with the disease. The study found that individuals with atrial fibrillation faced major limitations in their daily living activities and social lives due to the disease symptoms and warfarin use. CONCLUSIONS: Patients need to be provided with relevant individual training and counselling so that they lead more satisfactory lives. In addition, appropriate health appointment and monitoring systems should be developed for patients to reduce the problems associated with frequent follow-up appointments.

Review of the methods to prevent femoral arteriotomy complications and contrast nephropathy in patients undergoing cardiac catheterization: cardiac catheterization and care approaches in Turkey.

BACKGROUND AND RESEARCH OBJECTIVE: There are different care and treatment approaches to prevent femoral arteriotomy complications and contrast nephropathy in patients undergoing cardiac catheterization. The purpose of our study was to identify approaches widely used in Turkey to prevent femoral arteriotomy complications and contrast nephropathy in patients undergoing cardiac catheterization. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study was a descriptive study. A questionnaire was mailed to 36 university medical faculty hospitals that have active interventional cardiology units. Twenty-nine universities (80.5%) responded. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: In general in Turkey, only manual pressure is used to achieve initial hemostasis at the femoral insertion site, with a pressure dressing and sandbag added to maintain hemostasis. Arterial closure devices are rarely used. In general, after the procedure, patients are required to lie flat with, at most, a 15- to 30-degree elevation during bed rest. To prevent contrast nephropathy in patients at risk, intravenous saline solutions are started before the procedure and continued afterward. In other patients, only oral fluid replacement is used. Traditional approaches in the management of femoral artery insertion site continue, and practices used in the prevention of contrast nephropathy are similar to current practices.