Effect of Obesity on the Use of Antiarrhythmics in Adults With Atrial Fibrillation: A Narrative Review.

BACKGROUND: Atrial fibrillation (AF) and obesity coexist in approximately 37.6 million and 650 million people globally, respectively. The anatomical and physiological changes in individuals with obesity may influence the pharmacokinetic properties of drugs. AIM: This review aimed to describe the evidence of the effect of obesity on the pharmacokinetics of antiarrhythmics in people with AF. METHODS: Three databases were searched from inception to June 2023. Original studies that addressed the use of antiarrhythmics in adults with AF and concomitant obesity were included. RESULTS: A total of 4549 de-duplicated articles were screened, and 114 articles underwent full-text review. Ten studies were included in this narrative synthesis: seven cohort studies, two pharmacokinetic studies, and a single case report. Samples ranged from 1 to 371 participants, predominately males (41%-85%), aged 59-75 years, with a body mass index (BMI) of 23-66 kg/m2. The two most frequently investigated antiarrhythmics were amiodarone and dofetilide. Other drugs investigated included diltiazem, flecainide, disopyramide, propafenone, dronedarone, sotalol, vernakalant, and ibutilide. Findings indicate that obesity may affect the pharmacokinetics of amiodarone and sodium channel blockers (e.g., flecainide, disopyramide, and propafenone). Factors such as drug lipophilicity may also influence the pharmacokinetics of the drug and the need for dose modification. DISCUSSION: Antiarrhythmics are not uniformly affected by obesity. This observation is based on heterogeneous studies of participants with an average BMI and poorly controlled confounding factors such as multimorbidity, concomitant medications, varying routes of administration, and assessment of obesity. Controlled trials with stratification at the time of recruitment for obesity are necessary to determine the significance of these findings.

Clinical service organisation for adults with atrial fibrillation.

BACKGROUND: Atrial fibrillation (AF) is an increasingly prevalent heart rhythm condition in adults. It is considered a common cardiovascular condition with complex clinical management. The increasing prevalence and complexity in management underpin the need to adapt and innovate in the delivery of care for people living with AF. There is a need to systematically examine the optimal way in which clinical services are organised to deliver evidence-based care for people with AF. Recommended approaches include collaborative, organised multidisciplinary, and virtual (or eHealth/mHealth) models of care. OBJECTIVES: To assess the effects of clinical service organisation for AF versus usual care for people with all types of AF. SEARCH METHODS: We searched the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), MEDLINE, Embase, and CINAHL to October 2022. We also searched ClinicalTrials.gov and the WHO ICTRP to April 2023. We applied no restrictions on date, publication status, or language. SELECTION CRITERIA: We included randomised controlled trials (RCTs), published as full texts and as abstract only, involving adults (≥ 18 years) with a diagnosis of any type of AF. We included RCTs comparing organised clinical service, disease-specific management interventions (including e-health models of care) for people with AF that were multicomponent and multidisciplinary in nature to usual care. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: Three review authors independently selected studies, assessed risk of bias, and extracted data from the included studies. We calculated risk ratio (RR) for dichotomous data and mean difference (MD) or standardised mean difference (SMD) for continuous data with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) using random-effects analyses. We then calculated the number needed to treat for an additional beneficial outcome (NNTB) using the RR. We performed sensitivity analyses by only including studies with a low risk of selection and attrition bias. We assessed heterogeneity using the I² statistic and the certainty of the evidence according to GRADE. The primary outcomes were all-cause mortality and all-cause hospitalisation. The secondary outcomes were cardiovascular mortality, cardiovascular hospitalisation, AF-related emergency department visits, thromboembolic complications, minor cerebrovascular bleeding events, major cerebrovascular bleeding events, all bleeding events, AF-related quality of life, AF symptom burden, cost of intervention, and length of hospital stay. MAIN RESULTS: We included 8 studies (8205 participants) of collaborative, multidisciplinary care, or virtual care for people with AF. The average age of participants ranged from 60 to 73 years. The studies were conducted in China, the Netherlands, and Australia. The included studies involved either a nurse-led multidisciplinary approach (n = 4) or management using mHealth (n = 2) compared to usual care. Only six out of the eight included studies could be included in the meta-analysis (for all-cause mortality and all-cause hospitalisation, cardiovascular mortality, cardiovascular hospitalisation, thromboembolic complications, and major bleeding), as quality of life was not assessed using a validated outcome measure specific for AF. We assessed the overall risk of bias as high, as all studies had at least one domain at unclear or high risk of bias rating for performance bias (blinding) in particular. Organised AF clinical services probably result in a large reduction in all-cause mortality (RR 0.64, 95% CI 0.46 to 0.89; 5 studies, 4664 participants; moderate certainty evidence; 6-year NNTB 37) compared to usual care. However, organised AF clinical services probably make little to no difference to all-cause hospitalisation (RR 0.94, 95% CI 0.88 to 1.02; 2 studies, 1340 participants; moderate certainty evidence; 2-year NNTB 101) and may not reduce cardiovascular mortality (RR 0.64, 95% CI 0.35 to 1.19; 5 studies, 4564 participants; low certainty evidence; 6-year NNTB 86) compared to usual care. Organised AF clinical services reduce cardiovascular hospitalisation (RR 0.83, 95% CI 0.71 to 0.96; 3 studies, 3641 participants; high certainty evidence; 6-year NNTB 28) compared to usual care. Organised AF clinical services may have little to no effect on thromboembolic complications such as stroke (RR 1.14, 95% CI 0.74 to 1.77; 5 studies, 4653 participants; low certainty evidence; 6-year NNTB 588) and major cerebrovascular bleeding events (RR 1.25, 95% CI 0.79 to 1.97; 3 studies, 2964 participants; low certainty evidence; 6-year NNTB 556). None of the studies reported minor cerebrovascular events. AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS: Moderate certainty evidence shows that organisation of clinical services for AF likely results in a large reduction in all-cause mortality, but probably makes little to no difference to all-cause hospitalisation compared to usual care. Organised AF clinical services may not reduce cardiovascular mortality, but do reduce cardiovascular hospitalisation compared to usual care. However, organised AF clinical services may make little to no difference to thromboembolic complications and major cerebrovascular events. None of the studies reported minor cerebrovascular events. Due to the limited number of studies, more research is required to compare different models of care organisation, including utilisation of mHealth. Appropriately powered trials are needed to confirm these findings and robustly examine the effect on inconclusive outcomes. The findings of this review underscore the importance of the co-ordination of care underpinned by collaborative multidisciplinary approaches and augmented by virtual care.

Pre-implementation context and implementation approach for a nursing and midwifery clinician researcher career pathway: A qualitative study.

AIM: To describe the pre-implementation context and implementation approach, for a clinician researcher career pathway. BACKGROUND: Clinician researchers across all health disciplines are emerging to radically influence practice change and improve patient outcomes. Yet, to date, there are limited clinician researcher career pathways embedded in clinical practice for nurses and midwives. METHODS: A qualitative descriptive design was used. DATA SOURCES: Data were collected from four online focus groups and four interviews of health consumers, nursing and midwifery clinicians, and nursing unit managers (N = 20) between July 2022 and September 2023. RESULTS: Thematic and content analysis identified themes/categories relating to: Research in health professionals' roles and nursing and midwifery, and Research activity and culture (context); with implementation approaches within coherence, cognitive participation, collective action and reflexive monitoring (Normalization Process Theory). CONCLUSIONS: The Pathway was perceived to meet organizational objectives with the potential to create significant cultural change in nursing and midwifery. Backfilling of protected research time was essential. IMPLICATIONS FOR THE PROFESSION AND/OR PATIENT CARE: The Pathway was seen as an instrument to empower staff, foster staff retention and extend research opportunities to every nurse and midwife, while improving patient experiences and outcomes. IMPACT: Clinicians, consumers and managers fully supported the implementation of clinician researchers with this Pathway. The Pathway could engage all clinicians in evidence-based practice with a clinician researcher leader, effect practice change with colleagues and enhance patient outcomes. REPORTING METHOD: This study adheres to relevant EQUATOR guidelines using the COREG checklist. PATIENT OR PUBLIC CONTRIBUTION: Health consumers involved in this research as participants, did not contribute to the design or conduct of the study, analysis or interpretation of the data, or in the preparation of the manuscript.

Direct oral anticoagulant use in hospitalized patients with atrial fibrillation across body mass index categories: design and rationale for a retrospective cohort study.

Background: Atrial fibrillation (AF) and obesity are common conditions globally; yet, there remains suboptimal pharmacological management contributing to high rates of hospitalization in patients with AF. The altered pathophysiology of both obese and underweight individuals may influence the pharmacology of medications, including those used to manage AF. This, in turn, increases the risk of adverse events and impacts patient risk for stroke and rehospitalization. Despite the well-established complications of obesity, research investigating the relationship between obesity and AF is scant. Objectives: The primary aim of this study is to describe cardiovascular-related hospitalization in AF patients according to BMI categories. A secondary aim is to describe anticoagulant and antiarrhythmic prescribing practice patterns in patients with AF, according to the BMI category. Design: A retrospective, exploratory descriptive observational cohort study, using routinely collected electronic medical record data from five public hospitals within a single health district, with a population dominantly that is culturally and linguistically diverse, and has a low socioeconomic status. Methods and analysis: Data extraction will include a 24-month period (January 2017 to December 2018) with a 12-month follow-up. All adult (⩾18 years) patients at discharge diagnosed with AF, prescribed any oral anticoagulant and/or oral rate/rhythm control agent, will be eligible for inclusion. Ethics and dissemination: Ethics approval from the health district and the University of Wollongong has been granted. Findings will seek to demonstrate associations between management strategies and patient outcomes, as well as describe patterns of acute care management from prescribers. These data will be used to inform and generate hypotheses for large-scale studies examining the impact of body weight on anticoagulation prescribing at national and global scales.

Background: Across the world, two of the most common conditions include obesity and a heart disease that causes irregular heartbeat which is known as Atrial Fibrillation (AF). As a result of the excessive over or underweight of an individual with AF, can affect how some of the medications used manage AF work, in turn potentially affecting their health. Purpose: The main purpose of this study is to describe how often people with AF end up in the hospital because of heart-related problems based on their weight category. We also want to describe how doctors prescribe blood thinners and medicines that control the heart rhythm, in patients with AF based on their body weight. Design and method: To do this we will examine old electronic medical records over a two-year period, from January 2017 to December 2018 from five public hospitals, and we will see what happens after one year if they were hospitalised. These hospitals serve a diverse population with a mix of languages and cultures and are low-income earning households. We will only examine the electronic medical records of adults (18 years and over) who were diagnosed with AF and were prescribed blood thinners and/or heart rate or rhythm-controlling medications at the time of leaving the hospital. All adult (⩾18 years) patients at discharge diagnosed with AF, prescribed any oral anticoagulant and/or oral rate/rhythm control agent, will be eligible for inclusion. We have already gotten approval from the hospital and the University of Wollongong to conduct this study ethically. We anticipate that the results from this study will help us understand how different treatments and body weights are connected, and this knowledge can be used to plan bigger studies on a national and global scale to improve how we care for people with irregular heartbeats.

Designing a study that examines the use of blood thinners in hospitalised patients with irregular heartbeat at different body weights.

Strategies for improving diversity, equity, and inclusion in cardiovascular research: a primer.

This paper aims to empower cardiovascular (CV) researchers by promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I) principles throughout the research cycle. It defines DE&I and introduces practical strategies for implementation in recruitment, retention, and team dynamics within CV research. Evidence-based approaches supporting underrepresented populations' participation are outlined for each research phase. Emphasizing the significance of inclusive research environments, the paper offers guidance and resources. We invite CV researchers to actively embrace DE&I principles, enhancing research relevance and addressing longstanding CV health disparities.

User profile of people contacting a stroke helpline (StrokeLine) in Australia: a retrospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: StrokeLine is a specialised telephone helpline led by health professionals in Australia. AIMS: (i) To describe the profile of StrokeLine callers; (ii) to understand the reasons people engage with the service and (iii) how StrokeLine responded to the caller's needs. METHODS: Routine call data were obtained from the StrokeLine between November 2019 and November 2020. Data were extracted and descriptive analyses performed. De-identified free-text data were obtained separately for November 2019 and June 2020 and analysed using qualitative content analysis. RESULTS: Of the 1429 calls most were from carers, family and friends (38%) or the stroke survivor themselves (34%). Most calls were made by women (64%) and the average age of the stroke survivor was ≥65 years (33%) with the time since the stroke occurred <1 year. The main reason for calling was to manage stroke-related impairments (40%). Providing information, support and advice was the most common action provided by StrokeLine staff (25%). Content analysis of 225 calls revealed most stroke survivors called for emotional support, while carers sought more practical guidance. StrokeLine provided information for referral to relevant services and guidance on what to do next. CONCLUSIONS: Most calls were received from family and carers, as well as stroke survivors. They contacted StrokeLine for information and advice, practical solutions, emotional support, and referral advice to other services.

Cardiovascular Disease Implementation and Policy Priorities for Australia: Recommendations From an Australian Stakeholder Roundtable.

The Australian Cardiovascular Alliance (ACvA), the Cardiac Society of Australia and New Zealand (CSANZ) and the National Heart Foundation of Australia (NHFA) recently joined forces to bring the cardiovascular and stroke community together to convene and document a national discussion and propose a national CVD Implementation and Policy agenda and action plan. This includes prevention and screening, acute care and secondary prevention.

Practices, beliefs, and attitudes of clinicians in prescribing direct oral anticoagulants for obese adults with atrial fibrillation: a qualitative study.

BACKGROUND: Atrial fibrillation (AF) and obesity affect over 60 and 650 million people, respectively. AIM: This study aimed to explore clinician practices, beliefs, and attitudes towards the use of direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) in obese adults (BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2) with AF. METHOD: Semi-structured interviews via video conference were conducted with multidisciplinary clinicians from across Australia, with expertise in DOAC use in adults with AF. Clinicians were invited to participate using purposive and snowball sampling techniques. Data were analysed in NVIVO using thematic analysis. RESULTS: Fifteen clinicians including cardiologists (n = 5), hospital and academic pharmacists (n = 5), general practitioners (n = 2), a haematologist, a neurologist and a clinical pharmacologist participated. Interviews were on average 31 ± 9 min. Key themes identified were: Health system factors in decision-making Disparities between rural and metropolitan geographic areas, availability of health services, and time limitations for in-patient decision-making, were described; Condition-related factors in decision-making Clinicians questioned the significance of obesity as part of decision-making due to the practical limitations of dose modification, and the rarity of the extremely obese cohort; Decision-making in the context of uncertainty Clinicians reported limited availability, reliability and awareness of primary evidence including limited guidance from clinical guidelines for DOAC use in obesity. CONCLUSION: This study highlights the complexity of decision-making for clinicians, due to the limited availability, reliability and awareness of evidence, the intrinsic complexity of the obese cohort and limited guidance from clinical guidelines. This highlights the urgent need for contemporary research to improve the quality of evidence to guide informed shared decision-making.

Cardiovascular Nursing and Climate Change: A Call to Action From the CSANZ Cardiovascular Nursing Council.

This Call to Action aims to provide key considerations for cardiovascular nursing, related to climate and environmental impacts. Strategies to optimise nursing preparation, immediate response and adaptation to climate emergencies are crucial to ensure those at greatest risk, including First Nations peoples, are protected from potentially avoidable harm. Professionals who manage climate consequences must also understand the impact of their care on the root cause of the problem.

Educational Needs of People Living with Atrial Fibrillation: A Qualitative Study.

Background This study explored the educational and self-management needs of adults living with atrial fibrillation (AF). Methods and Results This is a qualitative study of adults living with AF, clinicians, and expert key stakeholders. Interviews were conducted via a one-to-one semistructured videoconference or phone and transcribed verbatim for thematic analysis. A total of 34 participants were recruited and included in analyses (clinicians n=13; experts n=13, patients n=8). Interviews were on average 40 (range 20-70) minutes in duration. Three key themes were identified: (1) "Patient-centered AF education"; (2) "Prioritizing AF education"; and (3) "Timing AF education." The availability of credible information was perceived as highly variable. Information primarily focused on anticoagulation, or procedural information, as opposed to other aspects of management, such as risk factor reduction. Factors to optimize learning, such as multimedia, apps, case studies, or the use of visuals were perceived as important. Continuity of care, including engagement of caregivers, was important to help develop relationships, and facilitate understanding, while concurrently creating opportunities for timely targeted education. Clinicians described acute care as a suboptimal setting to deliver education. Competing interests aligned with the time-pressured context of acute care were prioritized over patient education. In contrast, patients valued continuity of care. AF education strategies need to pivot from a "one size fits all" approach and modernize to implement a range of approaches. Conclusions There remain many unmet needs in the provision of quality AF education to support self-management. Multimodal offerings and the ability to tailor to individual patient needs are important design considerations for new education programs.

A roadmap of strategies to support cardiovascular researchers: from policy to practice.

Cardiovascular disease remains the leading cause of death worldwide. Cardiovascular research has therefore never been more crucial. Cardiovascular researchers must be provided with a research environment that enables them to perform at their highest level, maximizing their opportunities to work effectively with key stakeholders to address this global issue. At present, cardiovascular researchers face a range of challenges and barriers, including a decline in funding, job insecurity and a lack of diversity at senior leadership levels. Indeed, many cardiovascular researchers, particularly women, have considered leaving the sector, highlighting a crucial need to develop strategies to support and retain researchers working in the cardiovascular field. In this Roadmap article, we present solutions to problems relevant to cardiovascular researchers worldwide that are broadly classified across three key areas: capacity building, research funding and fostering diversity and equity. This Roadmap provides opportunities for research institutions, as well as governments and funding bodies, to implement changes from policy to practice, to address the most important factors restricting the career progression of cardiovascular researchers.

Multifaceted needs of individuals living with peripheral arterial disease: A qualitative study.

OBJECTIVES: To ascertain a comprehensive perspective of the impact of peripheral arterial disease (PAD) on people including needs for access to disease specific information, education, services, and support. METHODS: Participants were recruited from outpatient clinics at a tertiary hospital in metropolitan Australia. Telephone and face-to-face semi-structured interviews were conducted with nine individuals living with PAD and analysed using qualitative content thematic analysis. RESULTS: The nine participants were on average 74.2 (SD 10.9) years and predominantly women (67%). Lack of understanding of PAD and inconsistent information resulted in confusion regarding self-management strategies. Effects of pain and mobility problems were amplified for participants who lived alone and did not have an informal carer. DISCUSSION: Poor quality of life in PAD reflects pain, social isolation and fear of falls. Multidisciplinary teams with case managers should consider older people's living situations and needs for additional support services and education to facilitate integrated care.

Effectiveness of Direct Oral Anticoagulants in Obese Adults With Atrial Fibrillation: A Systematic Review of Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis.

Background: Atrial Fibrillation (AF) is the most common sustained cardiac arrhythmia. Obesity is an independent risk factor for AF. Anticoagulants have been strongly recommended by all international guidelines to prevent stroke. However, altered pathophysiology in obese adults may influence anticoagulant pharmacology. Direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) in the context of obesity and AF have been examined in recent systematic reviews. Despite the similarities in included studies, their results and conclusions do not agree. Methods and Results: The protocol for this review was registered with PROSPERO (CRD42020181510). Seven key electronic databases were searched using search terms such as "atrial fibrillation," "obese,*" "overweight," "novel oral anticoagulant," "direct oral anticoagulant," "DOAC," "NOAC," "apixaban," dabigatran," "rivaroxaban," and "edoxaban" to locate published and unpublished studies. Only systematic reviews with meta-analyses that examined the effect of DOACs in overweight or obese adults with AF, published in the English language, were included. A total of 9,547 articles were initially retrieved. After removing the duplicates, title and abstract review and full-text review, five articles were included in the systematic review. From these only RCTs were included in the meta-analyses. There was disagreement within the published systematic reviews on DOACs in obesity. The results from our meta-analysis did not show any significant difference between all body mass index (BMI) groups for all outcomes at both 12 months and for the entire trial duration. Non-significant differences were seen among the different types of DOACs. Conclusion: There was no difference between the BMI classes in any of the outcomes assessed. This may be due to the limited number of people in the trial that were in the obese class, especially obese class III. There is a need for large prospective trials to confirm which DOACs are safe and efficacious in the obese class III adults and at which dose.

The Joint Effects of Diet and Dietary Supplements in Relation to Obesity and Cardiovascular Disease over a 10-Year Follow-Up: A Longitudinal Study of 69,990 Participants in Australia.

It is unknown whether a healthy diet or unhealthy diet combined with specific supplements may jointly contribute to incidence of obesity and cardiovascular disease (CVD). We included 69,990 participants from the 45 and Up Study who completed both baseline (2006-2009) and follow-up (2012-2015) surveys. We found that compared to participants with a long-term healthy diet and no supplement consumption, those with a long-term healthy diet combined with multivitamins and minerals (MVM) or fish oil consumption were associated with a lower incidence of CVD (p < 0.001); whilst those with an unhealthy diet and no MVM or fish oil consumption were associated with a higher risk of obesity (p < 0.05). Compared to participants with a long-term healthy diet and no calcium consumption, the combination of a long-term healthy diet and calcium consumption was linked to a lower risk of CVD (IRR = 0.87, 95% CI: 0.78; 0.96). In conclusion, a long-term healthy diet combined with MVM or fish oil was associated with a lower incidence of CVD. Participants who maintained a healthy diet and used calcium supplements were associated with a lower incidence of obesity. However, these associations were not found among those with an unhealthy diet, despite taking similar supplements.

Sex differences in dietary consumption and its association with frailty among middle-aged and older Australians: a 10-year longitudinal survey.

BACKGROUND: Nutritional status has been considered as a key factor in preventing the development of the frailty syndrome. However, sex-specific dietary consumption transition over time and how it impacts of frailty status are unclear. METHOD: We assessed 113,039 adults (aged 50 years and over) from the 45 and Up Study who had completed both baseline (2006-2009) and follow-up (2012-2015) surveys. Dietary consumption was assessed by a short food frequency questionnaire. Frailty was identified by the FRAIL scale. Multinomial regression models were used to examine the association between a long-term dietary consumption and frailty, stratified by sex. RESULTS: Of a total of 113,039 participants, females had a higher percentage of pre-frailty and frailty than males (pre-frailty: 35.5% for female and 30.1% for male; frailty: 4.86% for female and 3.56% for male). As age increased, males had significant decreases in overall dietary risk scores, while females had significant increases in overall dietary risk scores. Males and females with a long-term consumption of adequate fruits, high grains or had a variety of foods were related to a low risk of frailty. Females with a long-term consumption of adequate vegetables or high lean meats and poultry were related to a low risk of frailty. Females with an unhealthy diet at both surveys [Relative Risk Ratio (RRR) = 1.32, 95% CI: 1.18; 1.49], and those with unhealthy diet at either surveys (RRR = 1.28, 95% CI: 1.12; 1.47, RRR = 1.19, 95% CI: 1.04; 1.37) had a higher risk of frailty compared to those had a long-term healthy diet. No association were found between overall dietary risk and frailty for males. CONCLUSION: Males and females changed their dietary consumption as they age. These changes affect its association with frailty, particularly for females. Sex-specific dietary advice in prevention of frailty needs to be further developed.

"Wearables only work on patients that wear them": Barriers and facilitators to the adoption of wearable cardiac monitoring technologies.

Background: Wearable technologies are increasingly popular. Yet their use remains low by older adults, who may stand the greatest benefit of use. While there is an abundance of research examining the performance, accuracy, specificity, and sensitivity of wearable devices, many barriers remain and need to be addressed to optimize uptake in clinical practice. There is a paucity of research exploring factors that help to understand barriers and facilitators to inform acceptance, adoption, wearability, and sustainability of use. Objectives: (1) To explore the perceptions and experiences of older adults and health professionals about using wearable cardiac monitoring technologies, and (2) to identify barriers and facilitators of acceptance and uptake of these devices in clinical practice. Methods: A systematic review with a qualitative meta-synthesis was undertaken. Results: A total of 7 original research studies were included.Four interrelated themes emerged: (1) trust, including safety, and confidence; (2) functionality and affordability; (3) risks; and (4) assurance. Conclusion: There are many barriers and facilitators to the adoption of wearable devices based on experiences of older adults, health professionals, and carers. Most significant factors related to the design aspects of the devices, appropriate and timely feedback, user-friendly technology, and issues related to affordability and cost.

A RandomisEd ControLled TrIal of ChEwing Gum to RelieVE Thirst in Chronic Heart Failure (RELIEVE-CHF).

BACKGROUND: Thirst is a common and troublesome symptom of patients with chronic heart failure (CHF). To date, there are no interventions to help alleviate thirst in this cohort. Chewing gum is a novel intervention, which has been tested in people undergoing haemodialysis, also prescribed with a fluid restricted therapy. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of chewing gum on the level of thirst in the short-term (average of 24 hours each day for 4 days) and in the longer-term (Days 7, 14 and 28) individuals with CHF. METHODS: Seventy-one (71) individuals with CHF on oral loop diuretics were randomised to chewing gum (n=36) or control (n=35) for 2 weeks. Both groups were assessed for their level of thirst at Days 1-4, 7, 14 and 28. RESULTS: Significant improvements in the level of thirst of those who received chewing gum compared to the control group at Day 4 (p=0.04) and Day 14 (p=0.02) were observed. CONCLUSION: Chewing gum provided relief from thirst in the short-term and in the longer term. This trial provides important information to inform future clinical trials on ways to relieve thirst.

Lack of Strategic Funding and Long-Term Job Security Threaten to Have Profound Effects on Cardiovascular Researcher Retention in Australia.

BACKGROUND: Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in Australia. Investment in research solutions has been demonstrated to yield health and a 9.8-fold return economic benefit. The sector, however, is severely challenged with success rates of traditional peer-reviewed funding in decline. Here, we aimed to understand the perceived challenges faced by the cardiovascular workforce in Australia prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: We used an online survey distributed across Australian cardiovascular societies/councils, universities and research institutes over a period of 6 months during 2019, with 548 completed responses. Inclusion criteria included being an Australian resident or an Australian citizen who lived overseas, and a current or past student or employee in the field of cardiovascular research. RESULTS: The mean age of respondents was 42±13 years, 47% were male, 85% had a full-time position, and 40% were a group leader or laboratory head. Twenty-three per cent (23%) had permanent employment, and 82% of full-time workers regularly worked >40 hours/week. Sixty-eight per cent (68%) said they had previously considered leaving the cardiovascular research sector. If their position could not be funded in the next few years, a staggering 91% of respondents would leave the sector. Compared to PhD- and age-matched men, women were less likely to be a laboratory head and to feel they had a long-term career path as a cardiovascular researcher, while more women were unsure about future employment and had considered leaving the sector (all p<0.05). Greater job security (76%) and government and philanthropic investment in cardiovascular research (72%) were highlighted by responders as the main changes to current practices that would encourage them to stay. CONCLUSION: Strategic solutions, such as diversification of career pathways and funding sources, and moving from a competitive to a collaborative culture, need to be a priority to decrease reliance on government funding and allow cardiovascular researchers to thrive.