Objective: To assess current heart failure (HF) care processes and organizational context in long-term care (LTC) homes as a prelude to adapting the Canadian Cardiovascular Society (CCS) HF guidelines for use in these...Objective: To assess current heart failure (HF) care processes and organizational context in long-term care (LTC) homes as a prelude to adapting the Canadian Cardiovascular Society (CCS) HF guidelines for use in these settings. Methods: This research reports on the results of thirteen focus groups (N = 83 participants;average of 60 minutes duration) conducted in three Ontario LTC homes to better understand how HF was managed and how organizational context impacted care. Participants included physicians, nurse practitioners, registered nurses, registered practical nurses, and personal support workers. Results: Focus group findings revealed that the complexity of the LTC environment presents challenges for managing HF. Most residents have multiple advanced chronic conditions that must be managed simultaneously. Culturally, LTC is first and foremost a resident’s home where residents may choose not to comply with care recommendations. Staff routines, scopes of practice, professional hierarchies, available resources and government regulations limit flexibility in providing care. Staff lacked knowledge, skills and resources for managing HF. Nevertheless, all staff viewed LTC as the preferred place for managing HF, avoiding residents’ hospitalizations wherever possible. These data suggest that strategies for improving LTC staff communication and education, strengthening existing relationships between staff, family, residents and community resources, and acquiring additional resources in LTC homes have the potential to improve HF management in this setting. Conclusion: LTC is a complex and dynamic environment that presents many challenges for providing care for residents. This research provides the foundation for subsequent work to develop and test implementation strategies to manage HF in LTC, which are consistent with the CCS HF guidelines and are feasible within LTC staff’s work routines, capacities and resources.展开更多
背景：血管紧张素转换酶（angiotensin-converting enzyme，ACE）抑制剂可降低心肌梗死（myocardial infarction，MI）的危险，但是还不清楚血管紧张素受体拮抗剂是否具有同样的效果。
目的：评价血管紧张素受体拮抗剂坎地沙坦对心力...背景：血管紧张素转换酶（angiotensin-converting enzyme，ACE）抑制剂可降低心肌梗死（myocardial infarction，MI）的危险，但是还不清楚血管紧张素受体拮抗剂是否具有同样的效果。
目的：评价血管紧张素受体拮抗剂坎地沙坦对心力衰竭患者MI和其他冠脉事件的影响。
设计、地点和参试者：“坎地沙坦治疗心力衰竭：降低病死率和发病率评价”（Candesartan in Heart Failure：Assessment of Reduction in Mortality and Morbidity，CHARM）计划是一项随机、安慰剂对照研究。研究入选有纽约心脏病协会分级Ⅱ至Ⅳ级症状的患者（平均年龄，66[SD，11]岁）。在心力衰竭最佳治疗的基础上，随机接受坎地沙坦（目标剂量，32mg每天一次）或匹配的安慰剂。患者入选期为1999年3月至2001年3月。分组的7599例患者中，4004例（53％）有MI病史，1808例（24％）患有心绞痛。基线时，服用ACE抑制剂3125例（41％）；服用β-阻滞剂4203（55％）例；降脂药物3153例（42％）；阿斯匹林4246例（56％）；利尿药6286例（83％）。
主要观测指标：该分析的主要终点为坎地沙坦或安慰剂组心力衰竭患者心血管死亡和非致死性MI复合发生率。
结果：在37．7个月的中位随访期间，坎地沙坦组（775例患者[20．4％]）心血管死亡和非致死性MI主要终点的发生率明显低于安慰剂组（868[22．9％]）（风险比[hazard ratio，HR]，0．87；95％可信区间[confidence interval，CI]，0．79-0．96；P=0．004；所需治疗例数[numbe rneeded to treat，NNT]，40）。与安慰剂组（522[13．8％]）比较，坎地沙坦组（459[12．1％]）单纯非致死性MI也明显降低（HR，0．86；95％CI，0．75-0．97；P=0．02；NNT，59）。在CHARM试验预先设定的不同亚组和分析间，心血管死亡和非致死性MI危险的降低相似。坎地沙坦对不稳定心绞痛或冠脉血运重建导致的住院没有影响。结论：坎地沙坦能明显降低心力衰竭患者发生心血管死亡或非致死性MI复合终点的危险。展开更多
文摘Objective: To assess current heart failure (HF) care processes and organizational context in long-term care (LTC) homes as a prelude to adapting the Canadian Cardiovascular Society (CCS) HF guidelines for use in these settings. Methods: This research reports on the results of thirteen focus groups (N = 83 participants;average of 60 minutes duration) conducted in three Ontario LTC homes to better understand how HF was managed and how organizational context impacted care. Participants included physicians, nurse practitioners, registered nurses, registered practical nurses, and personal support workers. Results: Focus group findings revealed that the complexity of the LTC environment presents challenges for managing HF. Most residents have multiple advanced chronic conditions that must be managed simultaneously. Culturally, LTC is first and foremost a resident’s home where residents may choose not to comply with care recommendations. Staff routines, scopes of practice, professional hierarchies, available resources and government regulations limit flexibility in providing care. Staff lacked knowledge, skills and resources for managing HF. Nevertheless, all staff viewed LTC as the preferred place for managing HF, avoiding residents’ hospitalizations wherever possible. These data suggest that strategies for improving LTC staff communication and education, strengthening existing relationships between staff, family, residents and community resources, and acquiring additional resources in LTC homes have the potential to improve HF management in this setting. Conclusion: LTC is a complex and dynamic environment that presents many challenges for providing care for residents. This research provides the foundation for subsequent work to develop and test implementation strategies to manage HF in LTC, which are consistent with the CCS HF guidelines and are feasible within LTC staff’s work routines, capacities and resources.
文摘背景：血管紧张素转换酶（angiotensin-converting enzyme，ACE）抑制剂可降低心肌梗死（myocardial infarction，MI）的危险，但是还不清楚血管紧张素受体拮抗剂是否具有同样的效果。
目的：评价血管紧张素受体拮抗剂坎地沙坦对心力衰竭患者MI和其他冠脉事件的影响。
设计、地点和参试者：“坎地沙坦治疗心力衰竭：降低病死率和发病率评价”（Candesartan in Heart Failure：Assessment of Reduction in Mortality and Morbidity，CHARM）计划是一项随机、安慰剂对照研究。研究入选有纽约心脏病协会分级Ⅱ至Ⅳ级症状的患者（平均年龄，66[SD，11]岁）。在心力衰竭最佳治疗的基础上，随机接受坎地沙坦（目标剂量，32mg每天一次）或匹配的安慰剂。患者入选期为1999年3月至2001年3月。分组的7599例患者中，4004例（53％）有MI病史，1808例（24％）患有心绞痛。基线时，服用ACE抑制剂3125例（41％）；服用β-阻滞剂4203（55％）例；降脂药物3153例（42％）；阿斯匹林4246例（56％）；利尿药6286例（83％）。
主要观测指标：该分析的主要终点为坎地沙坦或安慰剂组心力衰竭患者心血管死亡和非致死性MI复合发生率。
结果：在37．7个月的中位随访期间，坎地沙坦组（775例患者[20．4％]）心血管死亡和非致死性MI主要终点的发生率明显低于安慰剂组（868[22．9％]）（风险比[hazard ratio，HR]，0．87；95％可信区间[confidence interval，CI]，0．79-0．96；P=0．004；所需治疗例数[numbe rneeded to treat，NNT]，40）。与安慰剂组（522[13．8％]）比较，坎地沙坦组（459[12．1％]）单纯非致死性MI也明显降低（HR，0．86；95％CI，0．75-0．97；P=0．02；NNT，59）。在CHARM试验预先设定的不同亚组和分析间，心血管死亡和非致死性MI危险的降低相似。坎地沙坦对不稳定心绞痛或冠脉血运重建导致的住院没有影响。结论：坎地沙坦能明显降低心力衰竭患者发生心血管死亡或非致死性MI复合终点的危险。
