Self-care and related factors associated with left ventricular systolic function in patients under follow-up after myocardial infarction

The quality of long-term counselling for percutaneous coronary intervention patients: A cross-sectional study

AIM

To compare the long-term counselling quality among the patients visited and not visited at cardiac nurse after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) and related factors one to two years after PCI.

DESIGN

An explorative, register-based cross-sectional study.

METHODOLOGY METHODS

A sample was drawn from the one university hospital's procedure register consisted of the patients undergone a PCI (n = 977). The data was collected by Counselling Quality Instrument (CQI) questionnaire by mail, and analysed by basic and multivariate methods.

FINDINGS RESULTS

Of the respondents (n = 459), less than half the patients (48.4%) visited at cardiac nurse one to two years after PCI as instructed in the national current care guidelines. Patients, who visited the nurse (n = 194) had higher satisfaction for counselling than the ones not visited (n = 70). Nevertheless, patients, especially those who had no dyslipidemia, had Unstable Angina Pectoris or Non-ST-elevated myocardial infarction or were out of the workforce, were unsatisfied with counselling, and needed more social support, patient-centred counselling and goal orientating implementation from the cardiac nurse. A half of the PCI patients (51.6%) did not visit the cardiac nurse at the primary health care.

PATIENT OR PUBLIC CONTRIBUTION

Cardiac nurses assisted the members of research group by assessing the questionnaire prior sending it to the patients and patients contributed by completing the questionnaires. We thank both parties for their contribution.

IMPLICATION FOR PROFESSION AND PATIENT CARE

This study demonstrated, that patients out of the workforce and having emergency PCI are in need for better quality counselling, concentrating on social support, patient-centred counselling and goal orientating implementation from the cardiac nurse. Those patients, who did not visit the cardiac nurse, should be offered easier access to cardiac nurse for example, by novel digital solutions.

Intensive nurse-led follow-up in primary care to improve self-management and compliance behaviour after myocardial infarction

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES

To assess the effects of intensive follow-up by primary care nurses on cardiovascular disease self-management and compliance behaviours after myocardial infarction.

BACKGROUND

Although cardiovascular disease prevention and cardiac rehabilitation take place in hospital settings, a nurse-led approach is necessary in primary care during the first few months after a myocardial infarction. Therefore, it is important to assess self-management of cardiovascular disease and levels of compliance with the prescribed diet, physical activity, and medication.

DESIGN

The study used a multicentre, quasi-experimental, pre-post design without a control group.

METHODS

Patients with acute coronary syndrome from 40 healthcare facilities were included in the study. A total of 212 patients participated in a programme including 11 interventions during the first 12-18 months after myocardial infarction. The following Nursing Outcomes Classification (NOC) outcomes were assessed at baseline and at the end of the intervention: Self-management: Cardiac Disease (1617) and Compliance Behaviour: Prescribed Diet (1622), Compliance Behaviour: Prescribed Activity (1632), and Compliance Behaviour: Prescribed Medication (1623). Marjory Gordon's functional health patterns and a self-care notebook were used in each intervention. Pre-post intervention means were compared using Student's t-tests for related samples. The results of the study are reported in compliance with the TREND Statement.

RESULTS

A total of 132 patients completed the intervention. The indicators for each NOC outcome and the variations in scores before and after the intensive follow-up showed a statistically significant improvement (p-value = 0.000). Compliance Behaviour: Prescribed Diet (pre = 3.7; post = 4.1); Compliance Behaviour: Prescribed Activity (pre = 3.9; post = 4.3); Compliance Behaviour: Prescribed Medication (pre = 3.9; post = 4.7).

CONCLUSION

Intensive, immediate follow-up after myocardial infarction improves compliance behaviours and self-management of heart disease. A combined self-care and family care approach should be encouraged to empower post-myocardial infarction patients. To facilitate patients' self-efficacy, the use of health education tools such as a cardiovascular self-care notebook can also be helpful.

RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE

This study highlights the benefits of intensive, protocolised, comprehensive patient follow-up in primary care during the first few months after an acute myocardial infarction (AMI). Primary care nurses train patients in cardiovascular self-care.

PATIENT OR PUBLIC CONTRIBUTION

Patients were not involved in either the design or the carrying out of the study. However, at the end of the study, they participated in an evaluation process about the utility of the research study and their satisfaction with it. This process was carried out using an ad hoc survey consisting of 10 questions assessing the nursing care and follow-up inputs that were received.

Prognostic implications for patients after myocardial infarction: an integrative literature review and in-depth interviews with patients and experts

Background

As patients with myocardial infarction (MI) survive for a long time after acute treatment, it is necessary to pay attention to the prevention of poor prognosis such as heart failure (HF). To identify the influencing factors of adverse clinical outcomes through a review of prospective cohort studies of post-MI patients, and to draw prognostic implications through in-depth interviews with post-MI patients who progressed to HF and clinical experts.

Methods

A mixed-method design was used that combined a scoping review of 21 prospective cohort studies, in-depth interviews with Korean post-MI patients with HF, and focus group interviews with cardiologists and nurses.

Results

A literature review showed that old age, diabetes, high Killip class, low left ventricular ejection fraction, recurrent MI, comorbidity of chronic disease and current smoking, and low socioeconomic status were identified as influencing factors of poor prognosis. Through interviews with post-MI patients, these influencing factors identified in the literature as well as a lack of disease awareness and lack of self-care were confirmed. Experts emphasized the importance of maintaining a healthy lifestyle after acute treatment with the recognition that it is a chronic disease that must go together for a lifetime.

Conclusion

This study confirmed the factors influencing poor prognosis after MI and the educational needs of post-MI patients with transition to HF. Healthcare providers should continue to monitor the risk group, which is expected to have a poor prognosis, along with education emphasizing the importance of self-care such as medication and lifestyle modification.

Are digital citizen panels an innovative, deliberative approach to cardiovascular research?

Online citizen panels are an innovative way to collect information about populations. They can help explain social determinants of health while involving citizens in research, allowing researchers to help the community, and advance cardiovascular research. This paper discusses the advantages and disadvantages of collecting information via online citizen panels and assesses these panels' potential in cardiovascular research. To exemplify such panels' use, we discuss a case study that utilized the Swedish Citizen Panel.