Post-discharge nutritional management for patients with coronary heart disease and frailty: a qualitative study.

BACKGROUND: Frail elderly patients experience physiological function and reserve depletion, leading to imbalances in their internal environment, which increases the risk of coronary heart disease recurrence and malnutrition. However, the majority of these patients, who primarily have a low level of education and lack self-management skills, face difficulties actively dealing with obstacles during the transition period after their discharge from hospitalization. Therefore, it is necessary to understand and discuss in depth the nutrition management experience of discharged elderly patients with coronary heart disease and frailty (ages 65-80 years old) and to analyze the promoting and hindering factors that affect scientific diet behavior during the discharge transition period. METHODS: Fifteen elderly patients with coronary heart disease and frailty who had been discharged from the hospital for 6 months were interviewed using a semistructured method. The directed content analysis approach to descriptive research was used to extract topics from the interview content. RESULTS: All participants discussed the problems in health nutrition management experience of discharged. Five topics and ten subtopics were extracted, such as ①Weak perceptions and behaviors towards healthy eating (personal habit solidification, negative attitudes towards nutrition management), ②Lack of objective factors for independently adjusting dietary conditions (reliance on subjective feelings, times of appetite change), ③Personal hindrance factors (memory impairment, deficiencies in self-nutrition management), ④Expected external support (assistance care support, ways to obtain nutritional information), ⑤Lack of continuous nutrition management (interruption of professional guidance, avoidance of medical treatment behavior). CONCLUSIONS: Nutrition management after discharge places a burden on elderly patients with coronary heart disease and frailty. According to the patients' physical conditions, we should develop a diet support system that is coordinated by individuals, families and society.

Sex differences in cardiologic medication provision for adults with coronary heart disease: an analysis of health claims data from 2018 to 2020 in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany.

BACKGROUND: Coronary heart diseases (CHDs) have experienced the largest increase worldwide as a cause of death, accounting for 16% of all deaths. In Saxony-Anhalt, a federal state in Germany, both CHD morbidity and acute myocardial infarction mortality rates are particularly high. Several risk factors associated with CHDs have been studied in Saxony-Anhalt, but sex differences in service use and medication have not been investigated. This study therefore aimed to investigate sex differences in the quality and quantity of cardiological care provided to adults with CHD. METHODS: This study used health claims data from 2018 to 2020 to analyse the utilisation of healthcare services and adherence to medication-related guideline recommendations in primary and specialist care. The sample included 133,661 individuals with CHD from a major statutory health insurance company (Germany). RESULTS: Almost all CHD patients (> 99%) received continuous primary care. Continuous cardiologist utilisation was lower for females than for males, with 15.0% and 22.2%, respectively, and sporadic utilisation showed greater differences, with 33.5% of females and 43.4% of males seeking sporadic cardiologist consultations. Additionally, 43.1% of the identified CHD patients participated in disease management programmes (DMPs). The study also examined the impact of DMP participation and cardiologist care on medication uptake and revealed that sex differences in medication uptake, except for statin use, were mitigated by these factors. Statins were prescribed to 42.9% of the CHD patients eligible for statin prescription in accordance with the QiSA indicator for statin prescription eligibility. However, there were significant sex differences in statin utilisation. Female CHD patients were less likely to use statins (35.2%) than male CHD patients were (50.1%). The difference in statin utilisation persisted after adjustment for DMP participation and cardiologist consultation. CONCLUSIONS: This study highlights sex differences in the utilisation of cardiological healthcare services for patients with CHD in the Saxony-Anhalt cohort. These findings underscore the continuing need for interventions to reduce sex inequalities in accessing healthcare and providing health care for patients with CHD. Factors at the health care system, patient, and physician levels should be further investigated to eventually improve statin prescription in people with CHD, especially women.

The effects of Solution-Focused Brief Therapy on self-care and mental health among older adults at risk of coronary heart disease: A randomized controlled trial.

This study tested the effectiveness of a nursing program developed based on Solution-Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT) in improving self-care skills and mental health among community-dwelling older adults at risk for coronary heart disease (CHD). A total of 120 older adults were randomly assigned to either an SFBT group or a control group. Participants' self-care ability, depressive symptoms, and anxiety at baseline and post-intervention were assessed using the Self-care Ability Scale for the Elderly (SASE), Self-Rating Depression Scale (SDS), and Self-Rating Anxiety Scale (SAS), respectively. The t-test, Mann-Whitney U, and chi-square tests were conducted for group comparisons. After 6 months of intervention, the intervention group had significantly higher self-concept, self-skills, self-care awareness, and health knowledge scores than the baseline and the control group (all P-values < 0.05). The intervention group had significantly lower depression and anxiety scores than the baseline and the control group (all P-values < 0.05). SFBT is effective in improving older adults' self-care and mental health and may be widely applied among older adults to prevent CHD and promote well-being in the future.

[Application Value of Exercise Therapy in the Prevention and Treatment of Coronary Heart Disease].

Cardiovascular diseases,such as coronary heart disease (CHD),are the main causes of death in humans.Cardiac rehabilitation with exercise therapy as the core contents is a rehabilitation program specially designed for the patients with cardiovascular diseases,aiming to help the patients improve their physical functions and return to social activities as soon as possible.Active cardiac rehabilitation can not only reduce the morbidity and mortality of CHD and improve the cardiopulmonary function of patients but also reduce the medical and economic burden.This article summarizes the effect of physical function on CHD patients,the current application mode of exercise therapy in cardiac rehabilitation,and the formulation principles of different exercise prescriptions in cardiac rehabilitation,aiming to provide a reference for the application of exercise therapy in CHD patients.

Adherence to a Mediterranean lifestyle improves metabolic status in coronary heart disease patients: A prospective analysis from the CORDIOPREV study.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: A Mediterranean lifestyle may prevent and mitigate cardiometabolic disorders. We explored whether adherence to a Mediterranean lifestyle was prospectively associated with the risk of metabolic syndrome (MetS) among coronary heart disease (CHD) patients. METHODS: The Coronary Diet Intervention with Olive Oil and Cardiovascular Prevention (CORDIOPREV) study was an interventional diet study to compare a Mediterranean diet with a low-fat diet, in 1002 CHD patients. The Mediterranean lifestyle (MEDLIFE) index was used to assess adherence to a MEDLIFE at baseline, and after 5 years, in 851 participants from the CORDIOPREV study. Subjects were classified as having high (>13 points), moderate (12-13 points), and low (<12 points) adherence to the MEDLIFE. Multivariable logistic regression models were used to determine the association between MEDLIFE adherence and the risk of MetS development or reversal. RESULTS: During the 5-year follow-up, CORDIOPREV participants with high adherence to MEDLIFE had a lower risk of MetS development (odds ratio [OR] 0.37, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.19-0.75, p < 0.01) and a higher likelihood of reversing preexisting MetS (OR 2.08 CI 95% 1.11-3.91, p = 0.02) compared with participants in the low MEDLIFE adherence group. Each additional one-point increment in the MEDLIFE index was associated with a 24% lower risk of MetS development (OR 0.76, 95% CI 0.64-0.90, p < 0.01) and a 21% higher likelihood of reversing preexisting MetS (OR 1.21 CI 95% 1.04-1.41, p = 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Our results showed that greater adherence to a MEDLIFE reduced the risk of subsequent MetS development and increased the likelihood of reversing preexisting MetS among patients with CHD at baseline.

Impact of capitation prepayment on the medical expenses and health service utilization of patients with coronary heart disease: a community policy intervention program in a county in China.

BACKGROUND: Medical costs have been rising rapidly in recent years, and China is controlling medical costs from the perspective of health insurance payments. OBJECTIVES: To explore the impact of the capitation prepayment method on medical expenses and health service utilization of coronary heart disease (CHD) patients, which provides a scientific basis for further improvement of the payment approach. METHODS: The diagnosis records of visits for CHD in the database from 2014 to 2016 (April to December each year) were selected, and two townships were randomly selected as the pilot and control groups. Propensity score matching (PSM) and difference-in-difference (DID) model were used to assess changes in outpatient and inpatient expenses and health service utilization among CHD patients after the implementation of the capitation prepayment policy. RESULTS: There were eventually 3,900 outpatients and 664 inpatients enrolled in this study after PSM. The DID model showed that in the first year of implementing the reform, total outpatient expenses decreased by CNY 13.953, drug expenses decreased by CNY 11.289, as well as Medicare payments decreased by CNY 8.707 in the pilot group compared to the control group. In the second year of implementing the reform, compared with the control group, the pilot group had a reduction of CNY 3.123 in other expenses, and a reduction of CNY 6.841 in Medicare payments. There was no significant change in inpatient expenses in the pilot group compared to the control group, but there was an increase of 0.829 visits to rural medical institutions, and an increase of 0.750 visits within the county for inpatients. CONCLUSIONS: The capitation prepayment method has been effective in controlling the outpatient expenses of CHD patients, as well as improving the medical service capacity of medical institutions within the Medical Community, and increasing the rate of inside county visits for inpatients.

Systematic review, meta-analysis and meta-regression to determine the effects of patient education on health behaviour change in adults diagnosed with coronary heart disease.

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: To assess the effectiveness of educational interventions and the relative effect of intervention duration on secondary prevention health behaviours in adults with coronary heart disease. BACKGROUND: Patient education can reduce disease progression and improve outcomes. However, there is a lack of knowledge of its efficacy and the relative impact of education duration on health behaviour change in this population. DESIGN: A systematic review and meta-analysis. METHODS: Seven electronic databases and grey literature were searched from Inception to July 2021. The review followed the PRISMA guidelines. This meta-analysis was analysed in Comprehensive Meta-Analysis version 3 software. Outcomes considered were disease knowledge and health behavioural outcomes. Data were pooled together with random-effects models using the inverse-variance method. The effect of education duration (<3 vs. ≥3 months) was examined by meta-regressions. RESULTS: In summary, 73 studies were included with a total of participants (n = 24,985) aged mean of 60.5 ± 5.7 years and mostly male (72.5%). Patient education improved all behaviours including disease knowledge at <6 and 6-12 months follow-up, the likelihood of quitting smoking at <6, and 6-12 months, medication adherence at <6 and 6-12 months; physical activity and exercise participation at <6 and 6-12 months and healthy dietary behaviours, at <6 and 6-12 months. Furthermore, education programmes with a longer duration (≥3 months) improved disease knowledge and physical activity more than shorter programmes. CONCLUSION: Patient education for secondary prevention, in various delivery modes and intensities, improves multiple self-reported health behaviours in patients with coronary heart disease. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE: This study assessed the effectiveness of secondary prevention education and demonstrated improvements in all outcomes in this population. Longer duration programmes were more effective in improving disease knowledge and physical activity in the long term. These findings can assist the cardiac programmes' design, particularly in ensuring sufficient intervention duration.

Understandings and experiences of adherence to secondary prevention for patients with cardiovascular disease and comorbid depression or anxiety.

Over 20% of cardiovascular disease (CVD) patients have a comorbid mental health disorder, resulting in an increased risk of recurring major adverse cardiac events (MACE) and mortality. Despite the higher risk, patients with comorbid depression or anxiety disorders are twice as likely to be non-adherent to secondary prevention. Therefore, better understanding of the adherence experiences of this subgroup is needed to inform service delivery and enhance adherence for this higher risk group. This study aims to explore the perceptions, understandings, and experiences of adherence to secondary prevention amongst 33 cardiac patients with diagnosed depression and/or anxiety disorder. Participants were recruited as part of the Cardiovascular Health in Anxiety or Mood Problems Study. Semi-structured interviews were conducted and data were analysed via inductive thematic analysis. Patient understandings of adherence to secondary prevention were limited, with medication compliance considered the marker of adherence. Further, participants did not perceive unintentional non-adherence to constitute non-adherence, rather an intent to engage was viewed as defining adherence. Participants also reported that a lack of practitioner understanding and management around their mental health negatively impacted the practitioner-patient relationship and their engagement with secondary prevention. Results highlight that unique barriers, especially around management of comorbid mental health exist for this subgroup. Additionally, adherence to secondary prevention might be limited by patients' narrow understandings of adherence as the intent to engage and as medication compliance.

[Expert consensus on clinical application of Lixuwang~® Xuesaitong Soft Capsules].

Lixuwang~® Xuesaitong Soft Capsules(referred to as "Xuesaitong Soft Capsules") have the effects of promoting blood circulation, resolving blood stasis, and dredging meridians and collaterals. They are widely used in the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases in clinical practice. Through years of clinical observation, they have shown significant efficacy in ischemic stroke, coronary heart disease, and other diseases, and have been recommended by multiple guidelines, consensus statements, and monographs. Based on the summary of clinical application experience by doctors and existing evidence-based research, following the Technical Specifications for Consensus Development of Chinese Patent Medicine by Clinical Experts issued by Standardization Office of the Chinese Association of Traditional Chinese Medicine, a nominal group method was used to reach 19 recommended opinions/consensus suggestions. This document proposes the timing of medication, syndrome differentiation for medication, therapeutic effects, dosage and administration, treatment duration, economic considerations, and safety considerations in the use of Xuesaitong Soft Capsules for the treatment of ischemic stroke and angina pectoris in coronary heart disease. It is intended for doctors in internal medicine, encephalopathy(neurology), cardiovascular medicine, geriatrics, emergency medicine, general practice, and traditional Chinese medicine departments of various medical institutions, as well as pharmacists in hospitals and pharmacies, as a medication reference when using Xuesaitong Soft Capsules. It is hoped that the widespread application of this consensus can improve the clinical efficacy of Xuesaitong Soft Capsules in the treatment of ischemic stroke and coronary heart disease, promote rational drug use, and reduce medication risks. This consensus has been reviewed and published by the China Association of Traditional Chinese Medicine, with the identification number GS/CACM 323-2023.

Age and ageing cardiovascular collection: blood pressure, coronary heart disease and heart failure.

As people age they are at increased risk of cardiovascular disease, the leading cause of mortality and morbidity worldwide. Understanding cardiovascular ageing is essential to preserving healthy ageing and preventing serious health outcomes. This collection of papers published in Age and Ageing since 2011 cover key themes in cardiovascular ageing, with a separate collection on stroke and atrial fibrillation planned. Treating high blood pressure remains important as people age and reduces strokes and heart attacks. That said, a more personalised approach to blood pressure may be even more important as people age to lower blood pressure to tight targets where appropriate but avoid overtreatment in vulnerable groups. As people age, more people experience blood pressure drops on standing (orthostatic hypotension), particularly as they become frail. This can predispose them to falls. The papers in this collection provide an insight into blood pressure and orthostatic hypotension. They highlight areas for further research to understand blood pressure changes and management in the ageing population. Inpatient clinical care of older people with heart attacks differs from younger people in UK national audit data. People aged over 80 had improved outcomes in survival after heart attack over time, but had lower rates of specialist input from cardiology compared with younger people. This may partly reflect different clinical presentations, with heart attacks occurring in the context of other health conditions, frailty and multimorbidity. The care and outcomes of acute and chronic cardiovascular disease are impacted by the frailty and health status of an individual at baseline. The research included in this collection reinforces the wide variations in the ageing population and the necessity to focus on the individual needs and priorities, and provide a person-centred multidisciplinary approach to care.

Assessing the quality of cardiac rehabilitation programs by measuring adherence to the Australian quality indicators.

BACKGROUND: Every year, over 65,000 Australians experience an acute coronary syndrome (ACS) and around one-third occur in people with prior coronary heart disease. Cardiac rehabilitation (CR) aims to prevent a repeat ACS by supporting patients' return to an active and fulfilling lifestyle. CR programs are efficacious, but audits of clinical practice show variability of program delivery, which may compromise patient outcomes. Core components, quality indicators and accreditation of programs have been introduced internationally to increase program standardisation. With Australian quality indicators (QIs) for cardiac rehabilitation recently introduced, we aimed to conduct a survey in one state of Australia to assess the extent to which programs adhere to the measurement of QIs comparing country, metropolitan, telephone and face to face programs. METHODS: A cross- sectional survey design with face validity testing was used to formulate questions to evaluate cardiac rehabilitation program and personnel characteristics and QI adherence. Between October 2020- December 2021, 23 cardiac rehabilitation programs across country and metropolitan areas were invited to participate. Quality improvement was defined as adherence to the Australian Quality Indicators, and we developed an objective score to calculate program performance categorised by quartiles. Significance of CR completion and time to enrolment between program type (telephone versus face to face) and location (country versus metropolitan were compared using Pearson's Chi-square and Mann-Whitney U tests. RESULTS: Among the 23 CR programs, 15 were country and 8 metropolitan-based and 22 were face to face and 1 telephone-based. Median wait time from discharge was 27.0 days, (interquartile range 19.3-46.0) across all programs and country completions of enrolled were 76.9% versus metropolitan 56.5%, p < 0.001 and telephone versus face to face 92.9% versus 59.6% p < 0.001. Pre-program QI adherence was higher than post program for depression, medication adherence, health-related quality of life and comprehensive re-assessment. Seventy four percent of programs were ranked at a medium level of performance (mean score: 11.4/16, SD ± 0.79). CONCLUSIONS: A survey of 23 cardiac rehabilitation programs, showed variability in adherence to measurement of the Australian Cardiovascular and Rehabilitation Association and Australian Heart Foundation Cardiac Rehabilitation Quality Indicators. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Australia New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry (ANZCTR), ACTRN12621000222842 , registered 03/03/2021.

Intimate Relationships and Coronary Heart Disease: Implications for Risk, Prevention, and Patient Management.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Research and clinical services addressing psychosocial aspects of coronary heart disease (CHD) typically emphasize individuals, focusing less on the context of intimate relationships such as marriage and similar partnerships. This review describes current evidence regarding the role of intimate relationships in the development, course, and management of CHD. RECENT FINDINGS: Having an intimate partner is associated with reduced risk of incident CHD and a better prognosis among patients, but strain (e.g., conflict) and disruption (i.e., separation, divorce) in these relationships are associated with increased risk and poor outcomes. These associations likely reflect mechanisms involving health behavior and the physiological effects of emotion and stress. Importantly, many other well-established psychosocial risk and protective factors (e.g., low SES, job stress, depression, and optimism) are strongly related to the quality of intimate relationships, and these associations likely contribute to the effects of those other psychosocial factors. For better or worse, intimate partners can also affect the outcome of efforts to alter health behaviors (physical activity, diet, smoking, and medication adherence) central in the prevention and management CHD. Intimate partners also influence-and are influenced by-stressful aspects of acute coronary crises and longer-term patient adjustment and management. Evidence on each of these roles of intimate relationships in CHD is considerable, but direct demonstrations of the value of couple assessments and interventions are limited, although preliminary research is promising. Research needed to close this gap must also address issues of diversity, disparities, and inequity that have strong parallels in CHD and intimate relationships.

Effect of long-term nursing intervention on quality of life and social support of patients with coronary heart disease after percutaneous coronary intervention.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the effect of long-term nursing intervention on the quality of life and social support of patients after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). METHODS: A randomised controlled trial was designed. A total of 60 patients with coronary heart disease treated with PCI were randomly divided into the control group and the intervention group. The patients in the control group received routine nursing care, while the patients in the intervention group received long-term nursing intervention. The Simplified Quality of Life Scale-Quality of Life Scale, the Coronary Heart Disease Self-Management Scale, and the Social Support Rating Scale were used to collect and analyse the data. RESULTS: After the intervention, the scores for quality of life, social support and self-management in the intervention group were higher than those in the control group, and the differences were statistically significant (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Long-term nursing intervention can improve the quality of life and sense of social support of patients with coronary heart disease after PCI.

The emerging role of adopting protamine for reducing the risk of bleeding complications during the percutaneous coronary intervention: A meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: The safety and the benefits of reducing the risk of bleeding complications via protamine administration during the percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) remains unclear. This study aimed to systematically assessed the efficacy and safety of using protamine in PCI. METHOD: Potential academic studies were identified from PubMed, Cochrane Library, EMBASE, and Web of Science. The time range we retrieved from was that from the inception of electronic databases to March 31, 2022. Gray studies were identified from the references of included literature reports. Stata version 12.0 statistical software (StataCorp LP) was used to analyze the pooled data. RESULTS: A total of seven studies were involved in our study. The overall participants of the protamine group were 4983, whereas it was 1953 in the nonprotamine group. This meta-analysis indicated that protamine was preferable for PCI as its lower value of major bleeding (odds ratio [OR] = 0.489, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.362-0.661, p < .001) and minor bleeding (OR = 0.281, 95% CI: 0.123-0.643, p = .003). Additionally, the protamine did not tend to be related a higher incidence of mortality (p = .143), myocardial infarction (p = .990), and stent thrombosis (p = .698). CONCLUSIONS: Based on available evidence, use of protamine may reduce the risk of bleeding complications without increasing the risk of mortality, myocardial infarction, and stent thrombosis. Given the relevant possible biases in our study, adequately powered and better-designed studies with long-term follow-up are required to reach a firmer conclusion.

[Screening methods of traditional Chinese medicine for coronary heart disease and angina pectoris: an exploration based on core outcome set and fuzzy comprehensive evaluation].

It was pointed out in Opinions on Promoting the Inheritance, Innovation and Development of Traditional Chinese Medicine issued by the State Council in 2019 that 100 varieties of traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) with unique curative effects should be screened out within about three years. Due to the multi-component and multi-target mechanisms of TCM varieties, it is difficult to directly and simply evaluate their multi-dimensional clinical value using methods applicable to chemical or biological agents. The heterogeneity of outcomes for similar TCM makes it difficult to determine the advantages of similar products. The fuzzy comprehensive evaluation method that is developed on the basis of core outcome set and fuzzy mathematics for clinical efficacy evaluation of TCM may solve these problems. This study developed a fuzzy comprehensive evaluation model for the clinical efficacy evaluation of Chinese patent me-dicines for coronary heart disease and angina pectoris, and selected the previous normative studies with complete or incomplete data for verifying the model application. The results showed that original studies with complete data failed to evaluate and compare the comprehensive efficacy of different interventions. The original research only mentioned the advantages and disadvantages of different interventions in different aspects. The comprehensive clinical efficacy of three different interventions obtained through fuzzy comprehensive evaluation was all graded as level Ⅱ. The original research with incomplete data drew the same conclusions as the fuzzy comprehensive evaluation, and the results of fuzzy comprehensive evaluation can provide more comprehensive information. Therefore, the fuzzy comprehensive evaluation shows the products with overall advantages of clinical efficacy, which may become a feasible method for the screening of TCM.

[Clinical comprehensive evaluation of Guanxin Shutong Capsules in treatment of coronary heart disease angina pectoris with heart blood stasis syndrome].

This study aims to comprehensively summarize articles on the treatment of coronary heart disease angina pectoris with heart blood stasis syndrome(CHD-AP-HBSS) by Guanxin Shutong Capsules(GSC), and comprehensively evaluate the evidence and value of the formula in "6+1" dimensions based on multi-criteria decision analysis(MCDA) model and Guidelines for Management of Comprehensive Clinical Evaluation of Drugs(trial version 2021) with quantitative and qualitative methods, which is expected to highlight the clinical characteristics and advantages of the prescription and serve as a reference for medical and health departments. The dimensions are grade A, B, C, or D. In terms of safety, according to the reports from the spontaneous reporting system of National Center for ADR Monitoring, and literature analysis, GSC mainly results in the adverse reactions of mild or moderate nausea, diarrhea, rash, palpitation, and headache, with favorable prognosis in patients. Nevertheless, severe adverse reactions have been reported after marketing. Thus, additional evidence for its safety should be accumulated, and the current safety is grade B. Meta-analysis proves that GSC in combination with conventional treatment is superior to conventional treatment alone in alleviating AP and symptoms indicated by electrocardiogram(ECG). Therefore, the effectiveness of the medicine is grade A. As for the pharmacoeconomic value, based on the assumption that the per capita disposable income in 2020 is the willingness-to-pay threshold, it is more economical for CHD-AP patients to use GSC combined with conventional treatment than conventional treatment alone. However, as the currently available clinical parameters fail to support the difference in indirect cost between the two groups, the accuracy in the cost of intervention plan needs to be further improved. Therefore, the economy of the prescription is grade B. GSC has been awarded 13 national invention patents and 1 utility model patent, and won a lot of national and provincial patent awards, marking the enterprise service awareness and innovativeness. As a result, it is grade A in aspect of innovation. A questionnaire on the suitability of GSC suggests that publicity and promotion influence patients' choice and thus additional efforts should be made in this aspect. The suitability of this formula is grade B. Both rural and urban residents can afford the medicine for the whole course and the price is close to that of similar Chinese patent medicines. In addition, it is accessible regardless of season and place, so accessibility is grade A. As a Mongolian empirical formula destined to treat heart stabbing pain, it has the effects of activating blood and resolving stasis, dredging channels and activating collaterals, and moving Qi to relieve pain, and boasts the empirical evidence of more than 2 000 human cases. With prominent characteristics of traditional Chinese medicine, it is grade B. Based on the MCDA model and CSC v2.0, GSC is comprehensively class A in the treatment of CHD-AP-HBSS. The result can serve as a reference for basic clinical medication management.

Insidious coronary artery disease in a young patient with polyarteritis nodosa: a case report and literature review.

BACKGROUND: Polyarteritis nodosa (PAN) is a relatively rare systemic necrotizing vasculitis that typically affects medium-sized arteries. Although myocardial ischemia may occur due to involvement of the coronary arteries, overt myocardial infarction is uncommon. Case presentation A 22-year-old Chinese man experiencing chest pain for 7 months was admitted to our hospital. Consistently, the pain tended to last for a few minutes and then spontaneously subside. He had 7-year history of "stable" PAN. Coronary angiography revealed slight plaque infiltration of the left main coronary artery; however occlusion of all the three major coronary arteries with multiple aneurysms. A stent was implanted into the obtuse margin branch artery which was 95% stenosis, and then the chest pain was alleviated. Considering that the occlusion of coronary arteries was due to insidious vasculitis, prednisone 50 mg/day and methotrexate 15 mg/week were reinitiated, in combination with anti-angina medications. CONCLUSIONS: We report a young patient with insidious occlusion of three main coronary arteries under the circumstance of stable PAN for 7 years, suggesting the necessity of assessing the heart, in spite of normal acute phase reactants. The appropriate screening strategy needs to be studied.

Increases in early discharge following acute coronary syndrome hospitalisations and associated clinical outcomes in New Zealand between 2006 and 2015: ANZACS-QI-43 study.

BACKGROUND: International guidelines recommend early discharge for uncomplicated acute coronary syndrome (ACS) patients within 3 days; however, there is a paucity of contemporary literature regarding the safety of this strategy. AIMS: To report the trends in the proportion of ACS hospitalisations discharged within 3 days and their outcomes in New Zealand. METHODS: ACS hospitalisations 2006-2015 using national routinely collected data were categorised by length of stay (LOS) into ≤3, 4-5 and >5 days, excluding deaths during the index admission. Trend analysis of death, cardiovascular and bleeding events and their composites (net adverse clinical events) at 30-day and 1-year post-discharge were performed using generalised linear mixed regression models adjusting for covariates by LOS subgroups. RESULTS: Among 130 037 ACS hospitalisations, LOS ≤ 3 days increased from 32% in 2006 to 44% in 2016. This trend was observed for all demographics, ACS subtypes and management strategies. Event rates at 30 days and 1 year were the lowest for the LOS ≤3 days subgroup (all-cause mortality 1.6% and 9.1% respectively). Thirty-day and 1-year all-cause mortality rates were unchanged over time for this subgroup (adjusted odds ratio (95% confidence interval) of 1.011 (0.985-1.038) and 0.991 (0.979-1.003)), while net adverse clinical event rates significantly decreased (0.962 (0.950-0.973) and 0.972 (0.964-0.980) respectively). CONCLUSION: There was a substantial increase in early discharge post-ACS over 10 years. These patients were associated with reduction in adverse clinical events up to 1 year and no increase in all-cause mortality. These findings from a comprehensive national register suggest that guideline recommendations on early discharge after uncomplicated ACS are safe and appropriate.

Secondary prevention of coronary heart disease: The effect of a nursing intervention using Cox's interaction model of client health behaviour.

AIMS: Secondary prevention of coronary heart disease is of utmost importance to facilitate people to achieve health outcomes and behaviours. This study was to investigate the effect of a nursing intervention based on Cox's interaction model of client health behaviour to improve health outcomes and behaviours of secondary prevention of coronary heart disease. DESIGN: This study is a cluster randomised controlled trial. METHODS: Participants were recruited between August and November 2019 in two community settings in Hengyang city, Hunan province, China. Participants in the intervention group received a nursing intervention based on Cox's interaction model of client health behaviour and routine health education, while those in the control group received routine health education only. The outcome variables included self-management, physical activity, medication compliance, anxiety, sexual knowledge, the ability to identify sexual health education needs, blood pressure, body mass index (BMI), and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C). The influential statistical tests applied to analyse the data included χ2 tests and t tests. RESULTS: Seventy-seven participants completed this study. Compared with the control group (n = 40), the intervention group (n = 37) showed statistically significant better health outcomes and behaviours regarding self-management, physical activity (except for high energy consumption), medication compliance, anxiety, sexual knowledge, the ability to identify sexual health education needs, systolic blood pressure, BMI, and LDL-C. However, there was no statistically significant difference in diastolic blood pressure and high energy consumption for physical activity. CONCLUSION: A well-developed nursing intervention based on Cox's interaction model of client health behaviour could successfully improve health outcomes and behaviours of secondary prevention of coronary heart disease. Such an intervention may be incorporated into community healthcare practice by nurses to improve patient care. IMPACT: This study provides a valuable insight to facilitate further development of effective nursing interventions to improve secondary prevention of coronary heart disease in community settings.

Telephone-based peer support intervention to reduce depressive symptoms in women with coronary heart disease, a randomized controlled trial in Germany.

Depressive symptoms in patients with coronary heart disease (CHD) predict adverse outcomes regarding e.g. cardiovascular complications. We trained women with CHD to support female peers through telephone-based counseling and tested whether depressive symptoms can be reduced, and perceived social support can be improved by the intervention over six months. 108 women with CHD and self-reported depressive or anxiety symptoms were included in a randomized controlled trial. The intervention group was offered immediate telephone-based peer support for six months, while the waiting list control group received the intervention with a 6-months delay. Primary outcomes were depressive symptoms and perceived social support immediately after the intervention period and at 6-months-follow-up. 40% of the women made use of the peer support. During the first six months, both groups showed a reduction in depressive symptoms (IIG: t(169) = -1.79, p = .08; WCG: t(169) = -2.76, p = .007) and a significant improvement in social support (IIG: t(175) = 3.54, p < .001; WCG: t(175) = 3.36, p < .001). We found no significant group × time interactions. There was no influence of telephone-based peer support on depressive symptoms and social support. We discuss potential causes for both lack of specific treatment effects and the general improvement over time in both groups.