Cardiovascular Nursing Journal
Year:2015 | Volume:4 | Issue:2|Papers Count:8

Aim. This study was conducted to examine the effect of family-centered education on the quality of life patients after coronary artery bypass graft surgery.Background. Following coronary artery bypass graft surgery, the patients face many physical, mental and social problems, which reduce their quality of life. Teaching the patient's family provides an opportunity for family members to cooperate actively in taking care and supporting patient, thereby, improve patients' quality of life.Method. This was an experimental study in which 96 patients with their active family members were recruited according to inclusion criteria and randomly allocated to experimental (n=48) and control group (n=48). Before intervention, SF-12 Quality of Life Questionnaire (QOL) was completed by participants in both groups. Then, experimental group received family-centered education in three sessions and control group received only hospital routine educational program. Quality of life was again measured one month later. The data were analyzed by SPSS version 22.Findings. There were no statistically significant differences between the two groups regarding demographic characteristics. Based on Mann-Whitney test, a statistically significant increase was observed in scores of QOL dimensions after intervention in the experimental group as compared with control group (P<0.0001).Conclusion: Family-centered education in patients under coronary artery bypass graft can improve quality of life in these patients.

Aim. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of using “Pain Assessment Tool” by nurses on analgesics requirement and patient’s satisfaction after coronary bypass graft surgery.Background. One of the main duties of caregivers in ICU is relieving patients’ pain. Using "Pain Assessment Tool" may have a positive effect on the choice of analgesics and dosage adjustment with patients’ requirements. More research is still needed.Method. In a clinical trial, 153 hospitalized patients in the intensive care unit were selected randomly and were divided into two experimental (n=77) and Control group (n=76). The Pain Assessment Tool and pain management for 48 hours were implemented for conscious patients. Routine measures were taken into account for control group and the severity of pain and analgesic injection for experimental group were determined. In both groups, the amount of analgesics administered for pain relief, and patient satisfaction were recorded. Data were analyzed by SPSS version 16.Findings. The use of Pain Assessment Tool increased the number of recipients of analgesic drugs and reduced their dosage over 48 hours in the experimental group. Also, the satisfaction of pain relief was higher in the experimental group than the control group (p<0.0001).Conclusion. The findings of this study demonstrate the positive effect of Pain Assessment Tool on pain control, proper use of analgesics, prescribing the proper dose of analgesics based on patients’ pain and satisfaction improvement. The measurement of pain severity using Pain Assessment Tool, before and after analgesics administration is suggested.

Aim. The aim of this study was to investigate the role of social capital in healthy lifestyle promotion among people with Coronary Artery Disease (CAD).Background. Social capital, one of the social determinants of health, plays an important role in promoting healthy lifestyle among people. Due to increasing incidence of CAD, research is needed about social capital and its relationship with healthy lifestyle among people with CAD.Method. This cross-sectional study was conducted on 412 patients with CAD, including 239 men and 173 women, in 4 different wards (i.e. men and women internal wards, Diplomat and VIP wards) in Shahid Rajaie Cardiovascular, Medical and Research Center from January 2015 to June 2015. Data were collected by demographic characteristic form, Miyamoto et al. social capital questionnaire and researcher-made questionnaire of healthy lifestyle. Validity and reliability were confirmed by content analysis and Cronbach's alpha methods. The data were analyzed using SPSS with appropriate statistical tests.Findings. There was a statistically significant difference between social capital in terms of gender (p=0.015). A statistically ssignificant correlation was found between social capital and healthy lifestyle (r=0.418, P<0.01). The highest correlation was observed between social capital and “health responsibility” component (r=0.384, P<0.01) and the lowest correlation was observed between social capital and “abstain from tobacco and alcohol’’ (r=0.107, P<0.01). Among social capital components, “social relationships” had the highest correlation with healthy lifestyle (r=0.511, P<0.01).Conclusion. Social capital and its components have positive and important effects on healthy lifestyle and its subscales. It is necessary to emphasize community-based programs, such as strengthening social capital in the society to prevent and control chronic diseases, especially heart disease.

Aim. This study was conducted to determine the effect of Lemon Balm (Melissa Officinalis) on depression in patients after coronary artery bypass graft.Background. Coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) is the most common operation among patients with coronary artery disease. Many of these patients are faced with depression after cardiac surgery.Method. In this randomized clinical trial, 80 patients undergoing coronary artery bypass graft were randomly assigned to treatment and placebo groups. Data collection tools included demographic and clinical sheet and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). Each patient randomly received either a capsule containing 500 mg lemon balm or a placebo, 3 times a day. After 7 days, depression in both groups was measured and compared. Data analysis was performed using SPSS (version 16).Findings. After the intervention, herbal balm decreased depression more in intervention group compared with the placebo group (P=0.008).Conclusion. According to findings , Lemon balm may reduce depression after coronary artery bypass graft.

Aim. The aim of current study was to assess post-traumatic growth in patients with myocardial infarction (MI).Background. Post-traumatic growth is defined as subjective positive psychological changes following the struggle with highly challenging life events.Method. This was a descriptive cross-sectional study in which 166 patients with MI, referred to the cardiac clinics in Bonab and Maragheh, were recruited by convenience sampling. Post-traumatic Growth Inventory (PTGI) was used for measuring PTG. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used by SPSS version 22 to analyze the data.Results. The mean PTGI score of the participants was 68.39±19.40, and the most acquired score was observed in the dimension "spiritual changes". The results showed that women and patients with a history of MI within the previous 6 months acquired more score of post-traumatic growth than men (p=0.029) and patients with a history of MI before the recent 6 months (p=0.008), respectively.Conclusion. The occurrence of MI leads to positive psychological changes as named posttraumatic growth. Nurses and care policymakers can use these findings to help patients in coping with stressful conditions.

Aim. This study was conducted to assess physical activity in elderly people with heart disease, in Ilam, Iran.Background. Regarding the increasing number of elderly people, paying attention to their health is of great importance. Regular physical activity is being regarded as a way of reinforcing the immune system and preventing non-communicable diseases.Method. A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted on 240 elderly patients admitted to post CCU and CCU of hospitals in Ilam, Iran. The sample was recruited by convenience sampling method. The questionnaire “Rapid Assessment of Physical Activity” (RAPA) was used to assess physical activity. SPSS version 17 was used to analyze the data through descriptive statistics (mean and standard deviation) and inferential statistics.Findings. Of 240 elderly people participated in the study, 108 were male and 122 were female. Only 5% of the subjects had appropriate physical activity according to the World Health Organization classification. Physical activity was found to be statistically related with age, education, income, occupation, and marital status.Conclusion. Physical activity was at a low level among older adults. It is necessary to take interventions for improving physical activity in elderly people. It is suggested to teach them appropriate life style in terms of physical activity.

Heart failure is one of the major causes of mortality in developed countries. Usually before heart failure, remodeling occurs to adapt to myocardial wall stress changes or pressure caused by external stimuli. Cardiac remodeling encompass many of the changes associated with the development of heart failure, like genome expression changes, and cellular, molecular and interstitial changes, that causes a change in size, shape and function of the heart after damage. Cardiac remodeling shows the capacity of heart to response and adaptation to a variety of stimuli. The ultimate goal of cardiac remodeling is adaptation to and properly reducing the increased wall stress, and maintaining or even increasing cardiac function. In general, cardiac remodeling is divided into two categories: physiological and pathological, each have different causes and consequences.

Aim. The aim of this study was to review studies about the cause and development of cardiovascular diseases among people with depression.Background. Cardiovascular disease and depression are common and the research have shown the comorbidity of these two disorders.Method. In this review study, different databases such as Google Scholar, PubMed, Springer, AHA journal, Biomed, Scope med, Elsevier, and WHO webpage were searched out by Persian and English forms of keywords like “depression and cardiovascular diseases”, “depression and endothelial system”, “depression and autonomic system”, “depression and inflammatory-immune system”, “depression and platelet activation”, “depression and hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis” and “depression in prenatal period”.Findings. Suggested mechanisms of developing cardiovascular diseases by depression include dysfunction of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, inflammatory-immune system, autonomic system, platelet activity, endothelial system and habit pattern changes (metabolic syndrome) and depression in prenatal period.Conclusion. Findings show that HPA axis dysfunction provides the situation for autonomic system dysfunction. Forming of atheroma and thrombosis are faster in platelet dysfunction, endothelial system dysfunction and inflammatory-immune system dysfunction than the other destructive ways. On the other hand, as depression can cause inflammatory-immune system dysfunction, the process of endothelial system dysfunction can cause this too. No finding has been found about the relationship between severity of depression and development of cardiovascular diseases.