Débito cardíaco disminuido: mapeo cruzado de las intervenciones de enfermería y su contribución en la práctica clínica / Heart debit decreased: cross-mapping of nursing interventions and their contribution in clinical practice / Débito cardíaco diminuído: mapeamento cruzado das intervenções de enfermagem e sua contribuição na prática clínica

Objetivo: Analizar el uso de las intervenciones propuestas por la Clasificación de las Intervenciones de Enfermería indicadas para el Diagnóstico de Enfermería débito cardíaco disminuido en Unidad de Cuidados Intensivos Pediátrica. Métodos: Estudio descriptivo y exploratorio realizado con 11 enfermeros de la Unidad de Cuidados Intensivos Pediátrica de un hospital en São Luís - Maranhão, de septiembre de 2016 a octubre de 2017. El levantamiento y el análisis de los datos se realizaron en tres momentos: levantamiento de las actividades de enfermería junto a los enfermeros de la Unidad de Cuidados Intensivos Pediátrica; mapeo cruzado y análisis y refinamiento de los datos por enfermeros expertos. Resultados: Se identificaron 113 actividades descritas por los enfermeros, asignadas para 38 actividades de la NIC, contenida sen 11 intervenciones. Cuidados del corazón; Cuidados cardíacos: fase aguda, y Regulación hemodinâmica fueron las intervenciones que presentaron mayor número de actividades relatadas. Conclusiones: El análisis de los datos permitió verificar que para todas las actividades relatadas por las enfermeras, se encontraron actividades equivalentes em la NIC para el diagnóstico trabajado

Objective: Analyze the use of the interventions proposed by the Classification of Nursing Interventions indicated for the Diagnosis of Nursing cardiac output decreased in Pediatric Intensive Care Unit. Methods: A descriptive and exploratory study was carried out with 11 nurses from the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit of a hospital in São Luís - Maranhão, from September 2016 to October 2017. Data collection and analysis were performed in three moments: survey of nursing activities with nurses from the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit; cross-mapping and data analysis and refinement by expert nurses. Results: Were identified 113 activities described by nurses, mapped to 38 Classification of Nursing Interventions activities, contained in 11 interventions. Cardiac care; Cardiac care: acute phase, and Hemodynamic regulation were the interventions that presented the highest number of reported activities. Conclusions: The analysis of the data allowed to verify that for all the activities reported by the nurses, equivalent activities were found in the Classification of Nursing Interventions for the diagnosis worked

Objetivo: Analisar o uso das intervenções propostas pela Classificação das Intervenções de Enfermagem indicadas para o Diagnóstico de Enfermagem débito cardíaco diminuído em Unidade de Terapia Intensiva Pediátrica. Métodos: Estudo descritivo e exploratório realizado com 11 enfermeiros da Unidade de Terapia Intensiva Pediátrica de um hospital em São Luís - Maranhão, de setembro de 2016 a outubro de 2017. O levantamento e a análise dos dados foram realizados em três momentos: levantamento das atividades de enfermagem junto aos enfermeiros da Unidade de Terapia Intensiva Pediátrica; mapeamento cruzado e análise e refinamento dos dados por enfermeiros experts. Resultados: Identificou-se 113 atividades descritas pelos enfermeiros, mapeadas para 38 atividades da Classificação das Intervenções de Enfermagem, contidas em 11 intervenções. Cuidados cardíacos; Cuidados cardíacos: fase aguda e Regulação hemodinâmica foram as intervenções que apresentaram maior número de atividades relatadas. Conclusões: A análise dos dados permitiu verificar que para todas as atividades relatadas pelas enfermeiras, foram encontradas atividades equivalentes na Classificação das Intervenções de Enfermagem para o diagnóstico trabalhado

[Low-flow low-gradient aortic valve stenosis : Current evidence]. / "Low-flow-low-gradient"-Aortenklappenstenose : Aktuelle Evidenz.

Many patients with severe aortic stenosis have a "low-flow, low-gradient" aortic stenosis. The management of these patients can be quite difficult, as these patients often show impairment of the left ventricle, which can lead to false measurements of the severity of stenosis and also leads to a higher risk during aortic valve replacement. More diagnostic tools than only standard echocardiography are needed to correctly differentiate true severe aortic stenosis from pseudo severe aortic stenosis.

Primary Cardiac Allograft Dysfunction-Validation of a Clinical Definition.

BACKGROUND: Heart transplantation is an established treatment for advanced heart failure. Primary allograft dysfunction (PGD) is reported in up to 40% of transplants and is associated with a poor outcome. METHODS: As part of Heart Evaluation and Retrieval for Transplantation study, an investigation of the assessment of donor hearts for transplantation, we proposed a clinical definition for cardiac PGD comprising severely impaired systolic function affecting one or both ventricles accompanied by hypotension, low cardiac output, and high filling pressures occurring in the first 72 hours (in the absence of hyper acute rejection and technical surgical factors, such as cardiac tamponade). Here, we examine the prospective application of this definition to 290 heart transplants. We compared the clinical outcome of PGD and non-PGD cases. RESULTS: Ninety-four of 290 transplants developed PGD (32.4%). Inotrope use (score) was higher in the PGD group at 24, 48, and 72 hours after transplantation (P < 0.01). In the PGD group, there was a greater requirement for, intra-aortic balloon pump (50% vs 15%, P < 0.01), mechanical support (27% vs 0%, P < 0.01), and renal replacement therapy (61% vs 26%, P < 0.01). Intensive care stay was longer for recipients with PGD (median 14 vs 5 days, P < 0.01) and early mortality was higher (37% vs 4% at 30 days, 42% vs 8% at 1 year, P < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: In conclusion, our definition of PGD could be applied in a national multicenter study, and the cases it defined had more frequent complications and higher mortality.

Efficacy of community-based multidisciplinary disease management of chronic heart failure.

INTRODUCTION: A multidisciplinary disease management (DM) programme in chronic heart failure (CHF) improves clinical outcome. The efficacy of such a programme in a heterogeneous Asian community is not well established. Therefore, we undertook the evaluation of the efficacy of the multidisciplinary community-based DM CHF programme. METHODS: This was a prospective study involving 154 patients (54 percent male) with a primary diagnosis of CHF, New York Heart Association functional class III/IV CHF, with left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) less than 40 percent. The mean age was 65 +/- 12 years and mean LVEF was 27 +/- 9 percent. We evaluated CHF hospitalisation, quality of life, activity status and quality of care (percentage of patients who received ACE inhibitors/angiotensin receptor blockers (ARB) and beta blockers after a period of six months. RESULTS: At six months, there was improvement in the quality of life and activity status (p < 0.001). ACE inhibitors/ARB were maintained in 97 percent of the patients and there was an increased usage of beta blockers (p-value equals 0.001). The rate of CHF hospitalisation was reduced by 68 percent (p-value is less than 0.001) and there was no mortality. CONCLUSION: The multidisciplinary DM of CHF in a heterogeneous Asian community showed significant improvement in quality of life, quality of care and reduction in CHF hospitalisation.

[Acute heart failure: rational diagnostics in clinical practice and the emergency department]. / Akute Herzinsuffizienz: rationale Diagnostik in der Praxis und der Notaufnahme.

Despite being as common as an acute myocardial infarction in the emergency department, the diagnostic criteria and the therapeutic guidelines for heart failure treatment are much less well defined. Thanks to the recently published guidelines of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) the diagnosis of acute heart failure syndromes (AHFS) is now better standardized. The ESC distinguishes between six AHFS: (I) acute decompensated chronic heart failure, (II) acute heart failure with hypertension/hypertensive crisis, (III) acute heart failure with pulmonary edema, (IV) cardiogenic shock, (V) high-output failure, and (VI) right-sided acute heart failure. To distinguish between these entities in a clinical setting, a well-structured clinical examination is of paramount importance. Signs of peripheral hypoperfusion and congestion/fluid overload need to be recognized rapidly. These two clinical parameters permit the assessment of the patient based on the Clinical Severity Classification. Further diagnostic work-up should include chest X-ray, echocardiography, clinical chemistry, and blood gas analysis. The invasive coronary angiography is only beneficial in the context of an acute ST elevation myocardial infarction or NSTEMIs with persistent symptoms of angina. In all other cases cardiac catheterization should be deferred until the patient is recompensated. Diagnostic algorithms help to maintain a high standard in clinical diagnosis and improve the safety and efficacy of subsequent therapeutic interventions.

Redefining heart failure: the utility of genomics.

In this era of genomics, new technologies and the information that they generate have a wide range of potential applications to heart failure. Though there has not been widespread practical use of genomic information in everyday practice, there are many examples of how this information is beginning to transform the way we look at disease states in terms of diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment. The experience of oncology and other fields helps inform the heart failure field of not only the use of this information in investigating diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment response, but the reciprocal nature of this information. This information can be clinically useful (for instance, predicting treatment response) as well as further drive laboratory investigation (teasing out the biological pathways in non-responders to treatment can be a focus of new drug discovery); this is the essence of translational medicine. We believe that this is a good time to review where new technologies and information they generate can be placed into our classic understanding of heart failure: that is how we might redefine cardiomyopathy given our new information. Here we will review genomic evidence to date and how it can and may be considered in the evaluation and management of cardiomyopathies.

Valvular heart disease and heart failure: dental management considerations.

Approximately 5 million people are diagnosed with valvular heart disease in the United States each year. Many of these will present to the general dentist for routine dental care. The dentist must then understand the implications of this disease process to treat these patients safely and effectively. Of course patients with pathologic valve disease are managed in close consultation with their physicians. Even so, a dentist with knowledge of the disease process, as well as its diagnosis and treatment, has greater confidence when treating these patients. This article summarizes issues related to valvular heart disease and heart failure and provides guidance to dentists treating patients with such conditions.

Adherence to candesartan and placebo and outcomes in chronic heart failure in the CHARM programme: double-blind, randomised, controlled clinical trial.

BACKGROUND: Chronic heart failure (CHF) is an important cause of hospital admission and death. Poor adherence to medication is common in some chronic illnesses and might reduce the population effectiveness of proven treatments. Because little is known about adherence in patients with CHF and about the consequences of non-adherence, we assessed the association between adherence and clinical outcome in the CHARM (Candesartan in Heart failure: Assessment of Reduction in Mortality and morbidity) programme. METHODS: CHARM was a double-blind, randomised, controlled clinical trial, comparing the effects of the angiotensin receptor blocker candesartan with placebo in 7599 patients with CHF. Median follow-up was 38 months. The proportion of time patients took more than 80% of their study medication was defined as good adherence and 80% or less as poor adherence. We used a Cox proportional hazards regression model, with adherence as a time-dependent covariate in the model, to examine the association between adherence and mortality in the candesartan and placebo groups. FINDINGS: We excluded 187 patients because of missing information on adherence. In the time-dependent Cox regression model, after adjustment for predictive factors (demographics, physiological and severity-of-illness variables, smoking history, and number of concomitant medications), good adherence was associated with lower all-cause mortality in all patients (hazard ratio [HR] 0.65, 95% CI 0.57-0.75, p<0.0001). The adjusted HR for good adherence was similar in the candesartan (0.66, 0.55-0.81, p<0.0001) and placebo (0.64, 0.53-0.78, p<0.0001) groups. INTERPRETATION: Good adherence to medication is associated with a lower risk of death than poor adherence in patients with CHF, irrespective of assigned treatment. This finding suggests that adherence is a marker for adherence to effective treatments other than study medications, or to other adherence behaviours that affect outcome. Understanding these factors could provide an opportunity for new interventions, including those aimed at improving adherence.

Mitral valve repair in patients with low left ventricular ejection fractions: early and late results.

STUDY OBJECTIVES: This retrospective study was performed to examine the outcome of mitral valve repair (ie, mitral valvuloplasty [MVP]) in relation to preoperative low left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF). DESIGN AND SETTINGS: From our series of 338 consecutive patients who underwent MVP between 1983 and 2001, we compared the course of 302 patients with preoperative LVEF of > 35% (group I) to that of 36 patients with LVEF of

Prognostic power of neurohumoral parameters in chronic heart failure depends on clinical stage and observation period.

BACKGROUND: Endothelin (ET) and natriuretic peptides have prognostic significance in chronic heart failure (CHF). Because stimuli for forming these neurohormones differ, this study investigates whether their prognostic power depends on clinical stage and on length of the observation period. METHODS: Plasma big ET, B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP), N-terminal BNP (N-BNP), and N-terminal atrial natriuretic peptide (N-ANP), in addition to 11 clinical and hemodynamic variables, were obtained from 452 patients with left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF)

Sustained reduction of aldosterone in response to the angiotensin receptor blocker valsartan in patients with chronic heart failure: results from the Valsartan Heart Failure Trial.

BACKGROUND: Aldosterone has been implicated in the progression of heart failure. The Valsartan Heart Failure Trial (Val-HeFT) provided the first opportunity to examine the long-term effects of an angiotensin receptor blocker on plasma aldosterone levels in patients with NYHA class II through IV heart failure. METHODS AND RESULTS: Plasma aldosterone was measured by radioimmunoassay in core laboratories at baseline and during follow-up in patients assigned to valsartan at a target dose of 160 mg twice daily or placebo. In the placebo group, aldosterone (baseline, 150+/-160 pg/mL, mean+/-SD; n=2025) increased at 4, 12, and 24 months. In the valsartan group, aldosterone (baseline, 137+/-124 pg/mL, mean+/-SD; n=2023) decreased at 4 months and remained suppressed for up to 2 years. At end point (last measurement in each patient), mean aldosterone increased by 17.8+/-3.0 pg/mL (SEM) (11.9%) in the placebo group and decreased by 23.8+/-3.0 pg/mL (SEM) (-17.4%) in the valsartan group (P<0.00001). The effect of valsartan was similar in all subgroups, including those receiving neither ACE inhibitors (ACE-I) nor beta-blockers (BB) at baseline and those receiving concomitant ACE-I or BB. In contrast, outcome effects varied in the 4 subgroups, with a statistically significant reduction in the combined mortality/morbidity end point in those receiving neither neurohormonal inhibitor and an adverse trend in those treated with both drugs. CONCLUSIONS: Valsartan added to background therapy for heart failure produces sustained reduction in plasma aldosterone, consistent with the observed significant reduction in the combined mortality/morbidity end point. A similar reduction in all subgroups based on ACE-I or BB therapy, despite differing clinical outcomes in these subgroups, suggests that aldosterone plasma levels may not be a critical marker of the progression of heart failure.

Technical considerations related to the minute ventilation/carbon dioxide output slope in patients with heart failure.

BACKGROUND: The minute ventilation (VE)-carbon dioxide output (VCO(2)) relationship has recently been demonstrated to have prognostic significance in the heart failure (HF) population. However, the method by which the VE/VCO(2) slope is expressed has been inconsistent. METHODS: One hundred eighty-eight subjects, who had received diagnoses of HF, underwent exercise testing. Two VE/VCO(2) slope calculations were made, one using exercise data prior to the ventilatory threshold (VT), and one using all data points from rest to peak exercise. Four separate peak exercise VE/VCO(2) slope calculations also were derived with unaveraged, 10-s, 30-s, and 60-s ventilatory expired gas sampling intervals. RESULTS: Although univariate Cox regression analysis demonstrated pre-VT and peak VE/VCO(2) slope calculations to both be significant predictors of cardiac-related mortality and hospitalization (p < 0.001), the peak classification scheme was significantly better (p < 0.01). The ventilatory expired gas-sampling interval that was used did not impact the predictive ability of the peak VE/VCO(2) slope. CONCLUSION: Although both the pre-VT and peak VE/VCO(2) slope calculations were prognostically significant, the peak expression was superior. The sampling interval did not appear to have a significant impact on prognostic utility. We hope that the results of the present study will contribute to the standardization of the VE/VCO(2) slope and will enhance its clinical application.

Does the 6-minute walk test predict the prognosis in patients with NYHA class II or III chronic heart failure?

BACKGROUND: We prospectively evaluated the potential of the 6-minute walk test compared with peak VO2 in predicting outcome of patients with New York Heart Association (NYHA) class II or III heart failure. METHODS AND RESULTS: Patients with a history of heart failure caused by systolic dysfunction were included. The combined final outcome (death or hospitalization for heart failure) was used as the judgment criterion. One hundred twenty-one patients (age 59+/-11 years; left ventricular ejection fraction 29.6%+/-13%) were included and followed for 1.53+/-0.98 years. Patients were separated into two groups according to outcome: group 1 (G1, 74 patients), without events, and group 2 (G2, 47 patients), who reached the combined end point. Peak VO2 was clearly different between G1 and G2 (18.5+/-4 vs. 13.9+/-4 ml/kg/min, p=0.0001) but not the distance walked (448+/-92 vs 410+/-126 m; p=0.084, not significant). Survival analysis showed that unlike peak VO2, the distance covered was barely distinguishable between the groups (p < 0.08). However, receiver operating characteristic curves revealed that the best performances for the 6-minute walk test were obtained for subjects walking < or =300 m. These patients had a worse prognosis than those walking farther (p=0.013). In this subset of patients, there was a significant correlation between distance covered and peak VO2 (r=0.65, p=0.011). Thus it appears that the more severely affected patients have a daily activity level relatively close to their maximal exercise capacity. Nevertheless, the 300 m threshold suggested by this study needs to be validated in an independent population. CONCLUSIONS: A distance walked in 6 minutes < or =300 m can predict outcome. Moreover, in these cases there is a significant correlation between the 6-minute walk test and peak VO2 demonstrating the potential of this simple procedure as a first-line screening test for this subset of patients.

Peak exercise oxygen consumption in chronic heart failure: toward efficient use in the individual patient.

OBJECTIVES: This study sought to 1) assess the short-, medium-and long-term prognostic power of peak oxygen consumption (VO2) in patients with heart failure; 2) verify the consistency of a nonmeasurable anaerobic threshold (AT) as a criterion of nonapplicability of peak VO2; 3) develop simple rules for the efficient use of peak VO2 in individualized prognostic stratification and clinical decision making. BACKGROUND: Peak VO2, when AT is identified, is among the indicators for heart transplant eligibility. However, in clinical practice the application of defined peak VO2 cutoff values to all patients could be inappropriate and misleading. METHODS: Six hundred fifty-three patients consecutively considered for eligibility for heart transplantation were followed up. Outcomes (cardiac death and urgent transplantation) were determined when all survivors had a minimum of 6 months of follow-up. RESULTS: Contraindication to the exercise test identified very high risk patients. The relatively small sample of women did not allow inferences to be drawn. In men, peak VO2 stratified into three levels (< or = 10, 10 to 18 and >18 ml/kg per min) identified groups at high, medium and low risk, respectively. The prognostic power of peak VO2 < or = 10 ml/kg per min was maintained even when the AT was not detected. In patients in New York Heart Association functional class III or IV, peak VO2 did not have prognostic power. In patients in functional class I or II, peak VO2 stratification was prognostically valuable, but less so at 6 than at 12 or 24 months. Age did not influence peak VO2 prognostic stratification. CONCLUSIONS: A contraindication to exercise testing should be considered a priority for listing patients for heart transplantation. Only in less symptomatic male patients does a peak VO2 < or = 10 ml/kg per min identify short-, medium- and long-term high risk groups. A peak VO2 >18 ml/kg per min implies good prognosis with medical therapy.

Efficacy and cost-effectiveness of preoperative IABP in patients with ejection fraction of 0.25 or less.

BACKGROUND: The purposes of this study are to determine whether patients with severe left ventricular dysfunction benefit from prophylactic insertion of an intraaortic balloon pump and to evaluate its cost-effectiveness. METHODS: Between January 1991 and December 1995, 163 consecutive patients with a left ventricular ejection fraction of 0.25 or less underwent isolated coronary artery bypass grafting. An intraaortic balloon pump was inserted before operation in 37 patients (group A). The remaining 126 patients underwent operation without preoperative insertion of the device (group B). Preoperatively, 91.9% (34/37) of group A patients and 54.8% (69/126) of group B patients were in New York Heart Association functional class III or IV (p < 0.001). RESULTS: The 30-day mortality rate was 2.7% (1/37) and 11.9% (15/126) for groups A and B, respectively (p < 0.005). All deaths occurred in patients in functional class III or IV. In group B, 28 patients (22.2%) required an intraaortic balloon pump after cardiotomy for low cardiac output, 42.9% (12/28) of whom died. Median postoperative hospital stay was 9.9 days and 12.0 days, and mean hospital charges were $50,627 and $54,818 for survivors in groups A and B; respectively (p = not significant). CONCLUSIONS: Our experience suggests that patients with severe left ventricular dysfunction undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting may benefit from preoperative intraaortic balloon pump insertion, especially patients in functional class III or IV. This approach improved survival significantly, reduced hospital stay, and was more cost-effective.