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Showing results for tags 'Medicine - Cardiology'.
Found 127 results
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Content ArticleHealthcare Safety Investigation Branch (HSIB) looked into the suitability of equipment and technology used within maternity departments to conduct continuous fetal heart rate monitoring during labour and birth. Although there are multiple methods used to monitor fetal heart rate, the main equipment used is a continuous fetal heart rate monitoring is the cardiotocograph (CTG) machine. There has been some common safety issues identified with availability of equipment and functionality, staff understanding of the equipment and its purpose and an inability to understand and interpret the fetal heart rate. HSIB conducted an investigation into how cardiograph machines are used, any problems staff experienced while using them and problems that staff using them and how the equipment was purchased experienced, and how staff are trained and assessed as being competent to use them.
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News Article
Inappropriate anticoagulation of patients with a mechanical heart valve
Patient-Safety-Learning posted a news article in News
NHS England have issued a safety alert on the risk of inappropriate anticoagulation of patients with a mechanical heart valve. Published guidance supported clinical teams in reviewing patients being treated with a vitamin K antagonist (VKA) early on in the pandemic and change their medication to an alternative anticoagulant where needed. However, there have been reports that those with a mechanical heart valve have been prescribed a molecular weight heparin (LMWH) or a direct oral anticoagulant (DOAC) which the guidance lists as an exception to its use in such patients. The alert asks GPs and other NHS providers to urgently identify patients with a mechanical heart valve and ensure they are on the most appropriate anticoagulant. Read full story. Source: NHS England, 14 July 2021 -
Content Article
Prehabilitation (November 2019)
Patient-Safety-Learning posted an article in Surgery
Durrand et al. look at ways patients may be able to better prepare for major surgery, including targeting behaviours and lifestyle choices such as smoking and excessive drinking. The authors review evidence that physical inactivity and poor fitness, among other behaviours, has an impact on a patient's outcome. They also explore evidence for possible interventions at the perioperative stage. -
Content Article
Prevention of future deaths reports - Mary Mellor
Patient-Safety-Learning posted an article in Coroner reports
Mary Anne Mellor died from a ruptured thoracic aortic aneurysm caused by a leak from an aortic stent inserted four years previously. -
Content ArticleThis report summarises some of the key findings from the full 2020 National Cardiac Audit Programme (NCAP). It provides useful background information and highlights what you can do to help improve cardiac health for you and your friends and family. It includes answers to some frequently asked questions and links to where to go for more information or support.
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EventuntilCardiovascular disease (CVD) has become a significant long-term focus for the NHS. Given that CVD is largely preventable it is the single biggest area where the NHS can save lives over the next decade. By embracing digital technology, we can continue to close the gap in identifying people who are living undetected with high-risk conditions, such as Atrial Fibrillation. Chaired by Helen Williams - National Specialty Adviser for CVD Prevention at NHS England & Improvement, this webinar will highlight new approaches that show how the adoption of innovative ECG technology in both Primary Care investigations and Secondary Care detection and palpitation monitoring can improve efficacy and provide cost savings to the NHS and social care. Register
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Content Article
Think Aorta
PatientSafetyLearning Team posted an article in Improving patient safety
Think Aorta is a global campaign focused on the problem of misdiagnosis and delay in acute aortic dissection. It was created and is led by Aortic Dissection Awareness UK & Ireland. Think Aorta provides free, accredited learning resources for emergency medicine and radiology teams and for first responders, improving their ability to spot a time-critical, life-threatening aortic dissection and take appropriate action. -
Content Article
The Aortic Dissection Charitable Trust
PatientSafetyLearning Team posted an article in Improving patient safety
The Aortic Dissection Charitable Trust aims to improve the diagnosis of aortic dissection and bring consistency of treatment across the whole patient pathway. They accomplish this through: Increased access to education for medical professionals and patients in the UK & Ireland Working with those responsible for Healthcare policy in the UK & Ireland to ensure that there is consistency in the provision of diagnosis for acute aortic dissection, specialised follow-up for survivors and access to clinical genetics for relatives Promoting funding for medical research into the detection, prevention, treatment and cure of aortic dissection. Follow the link below to access their resources. -
Content Article
Prevention of future deaths report – Paul Sartori
PatientSafetyLearning Team posted an article in Coroner reports
Paul Satori died as a result of a dissecting aortic aneurysm following a misdiagnosis, and being discharged from hospital. -
News Article
NHS introduces 3D heart scans to diagnose patients in 20 minutes
Patient Safety Learning posted a news article in News
Patients with life-threatening coronary heart disease will be treated five times faster thanks to 3D scans being introduced on the NHS that allow for a diagnosis in just 20 minutes. The revolutionary technology can turn a regular CT scan of the heart into a 3D image, allowing doctors to diagnose them rapidly, NHS England said. It added that about 100,000 people will be eligible to use the HeartFlow technology over the next three years. Patients – who would previously have had to undergo an invasive and time-consuming angiogram in hospital – will now be seen, diagnosed and treated around five times faster. The new technology, introduced from last month, is part of the NHS long-term plan to cut the number of heart attacks and strokes by 150,000. NHS England said more people here will have access to the potentially life-saving technology than anywhere else in Europe, the US or Japan. Matt Whitty, director of innovation and life sciences for NHS England, said HeartFlow had been a “huge success” in clinical trials and would now help “tens of thousands of people a year receive quick diagnosis and treatment and ultimately save lives”. Read full story Source: The Guardian. 4 May 2021 -
Content ArticleS. Dorothy Smith instinctively knew that something was wrong with her daughter Katiana, but was dismissed as a hysterical first-time mum who just couldn't cope with normal newborn crying. She wrote a guest post for the Hysterical Women website, which can be accessed via the link below.
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News ArticleFor the first time, a new linked health data resource covering 54.4 million people – over 96% of the English population – is now available for researchers from across the UK to collaborate in NHS Digital’s secure research environment. This resource will enable vital research to take place into COVID-19 and cardiovascular disease, with the aim of improving treatments and care for patients. This work has been led by the CVD-COVID-UK consortium in partnership with NHS Digital. The new resource links health data from GP records, hospital data, death records, COVID-19 laboratory test data and data on medications dispensed from pharmacies, and is accessible to CVD-COVID-UK consortium researchers in NHS Digital’s Trusted Research Environment (TRE) Service for England. The CVD-COVID-UK consortium is a collaborative group of more than 130 members across 40 institutions working to understand the relationship between COVID-19 and cardiovascular diseases. The consortium is managed by the British Heart Foundation (BHF) Data Science Centre, led by Health Data Research UK. The ability to link different types of health data from almost the entire population of England provides a more complete and accurate picture of the impact of COVID-19 on patients with diseases of the heart and circulation than has been possible before now. It will also provide the data to understand whether patients with COVID-19 are more likely to go on to develop diseases of the heart and circulation, such as heart attack and stroke. Read full story Source: HDRUK, 24 February 2021
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EventuntilJoin BD this live educational event designed to promote discussions on the following topics: An overview of the latest evidence-based prevention measures of HAI (SSI). Essential bundles of an effective infection prevention and control program management in cardiac surgery. Review of the sustainable change in practice within operating room. The event is designed for cardiac surgeons, infection control and nurses who are interested in learning more about new techniques and methodologies to minimise some of the most challenging post-operative complications, with an opportunity to debate and share opinions with peers through live discussions with internationally renowned faculty. Register
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EventuntilThis webinar will focus on contemporary tools to detect and diagnose atrial fibrillation (AF), both during and beyond the COVID19 pandemic, and provide a platform to learn from examples of best practice in this area. After watching this webinar, participants will be able to: Understand the current evidence for AF case-finding. Know what technology is available to enhance detection and diagnosis. Be able to identify AF on an ECG. Register
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News ArticleMore than a quarter of a million patients living with heart failure could be eligible for a new drug that reduces deaths and hospitalisation after medical regulators gave it the greenlight. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (Nice) has approved dapagliflozin, made by AstraZeneca, for use on the NHS. It can help treat patients with a form of chronic heart failure that means their blood does not pump blood out to the body as well as it should. It is estimated almost one million people are living with heart failure in the UK which causes an estimated 65,000 unplanned hospital admissions a year. Around half of patients will die within five years of being diagnosed. Evidence from a clinical trial shows that adding dapagliflozin to standard care lowers the risk of dying from heart disease and decreases hospitalisation or an urgent outpatient visit because of heart failure by 26% compared with standard care alone. Read full story Source: The Independent, 24 December 2020
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Content ArticleTelemetry monitoring of heart rates and rhythms was introduced in intensive care units in the 1960s, and since then it has expanded into patient rooms and units in noncritical care settings. It allows healthcare workers to watch the condition of many patients all at once and intervene quickly when their condition changes; however, if the technology is not used appropriately or the equipment malfunctions, relying on telemetry monitoring also risks patient harm. This study from Kukielka et al. looked at real-life cases of breakdowns in the processes and procedures regarding telemetry monitoring, such as user errors and miscommunication, and equipment failures, including broken transmitters and dead batteries. The lessons learned can help improve training and best practices to improve the safety of patients being monitored.
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Content ArticlePatient advocate Vonda Vaden Bates interviews Brandyn Lau, Assistant Professor of Radiology and Health Sciences Informatics, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, around the importance of venous thromboembolism (VTE) prophylaxis for hospitalised patients.
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Content ArticleOur understanding of race and human genetics has advanced considerably, yet these insights have not led to clear guidelines on the use of race in medicine. The result is ongoing conflict between the latest insights from population genetics and the clinical implementation of race. For example, despite mounting evidence that race is not a reliable proxy for genetic difference, the belief that it is has become embedded, sometimes insidiously, within medical practice. One subtle insertion of race into medicine involves diagnostic algorithms and practice guidelines that adjust or “correct” their outputs on the basis of a patient’s race or ethnicity. Physicians use these algorithms to individualise risk assessment and guide clinical decisions. By embedding race into the basic data and decisions of health care, these algorithms propagate race-based medicine. Many of these race-adjusted algorithms guide decisions in ways that may direct more attention or resources to white patients than to members of racial and ethnic minorities. To illustrate the potential dangers of such practices, Vyas et al. have compiled a partial list of race-adjusted algorithms.
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Content ArticleVenous thromboembolism (VTE) is an international patient safety issue and a clinical priority for the NHS. Around half of all cases of VTE are associated with hospitalisation, with many events occurring up to 90 days after admission. It is a leading and preventable cause of death in an estimated 25,000 of hospitalised patients each year.
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Content ArticleThe coronavirus has caused significant disruption to NHS services, which may have been particularly felt by those with a long-term condition. Rachel Hutchings takes a closer look at what it’s been like for people living with heart disease, and stresses the importance of understanding patients’ experiences as we head towards winter with a second wave underway.
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News Article
Long Covid: the evidence of lingering heart damage
Patient Safety Learning posted a news article in News
Melissa Vanier, a 52-year-old postal worker from Vancouver, had just returned from holiday in Cuba when she fell seriously ill with COVID-19. “For the entire month of March I felt like I had broken glass in my throat,” she says, describing a range of symptoms that included fever, migraines, extreme fatigue, memory loss and brain fog. “I had to sleep on my stomach because otherwise it felt like someone was strangling me.” By the third week of March, Vanier had tested negative for Sars-CoV-2 – the virus that causes Covid-19. But although the virus had left her body, this would prove to be just the beginning of her problems. In May, she noticed from her Fitbit that her heart rate appeared to be highly abnormal. When cardiologists conducted a nuclear stress test – a diagnostic tool that measures the blood flow to the heart – it showed she had ischaemic heart disease, meaning that the heart was not getting sufficient blood and oxygen. Similar stories illustrate a wider trend – that the coronavirus can leave patients with lasting heart damage long after the initial symptoms have dissipated. Cardiologists are still trying to find out exactly why some people are left with enduring heart problems despite having had an apparently mild bout of COVID-19. The underlying mechanisms are thought to be slow and subtle changes that are quite different to those that put strain on the heart during the acute illness, especially in patients who have been hospitalised with the disease. Some cardiologists have suggested that treatments such as cholesterol-lowering drugs, aspirin or beta blockers may help patients with lingering cardiovascular effects many weeks or months after the initial infection, but the evidence remains limited. “It is too early to share data on this,” says Mitrani. “But these therapies have proven efficacy in other inflammatory heart muscle diseases. They have anti-inflammatory effects and we believe may help counter some of the lingering pro-inflammatory effects from Covid-19.” But for patients such as Vanier, there remains a long and uncertain road to see whether her heart does fully recover from the impact of the virus. “Psychologically this has been brutal,” she says. “I haven’t been back to work since I went on holiday in February. The heart hasn’t improved, and I now have to wait for more tests to see if they can find out more.” Read full story Source: The Guardian, 4 October 2020 -
News ArticleWomen are forced to wait more than five times longer than men for a heart failure diagnosis, a new study has found. Researchers discovered women are 96 per cent more likely to get an incorrect diagnosis of heart failure than men – attributing sharp disparities to such problems being wrongly viewed as “a man’s disease”. The study, conducted by leading heart failure charity the Pumping Marvellous Foundation, found men said they waited an average of just over three and a half weeks to get a formal diagnosis after their first GP visit, but women waited just over 20 weeks instead. Researchers warned such delays were linked to “poorer quality of life, financial losses, mental health issues and avoidable deaths” – adding that health professionals do not give heart failure the same attention and gravity as cancer and other diseases. "One of them [GP] actually said, your symptoms are probably not to do with your heart because you’re young and you’re female. Even though my father had a heart condition," says Sarah, who was diagnosed at the age of 42. Read full story Source: The Independent, 27 August 2020
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Content ArticleHalf of COVID-19 patients who received a heart scan in hospital showed abnormalities in heart function, according to new research funded by the British Heart Foundation. In this study, Dweck et al. describe the cardiac abnormalities in patients with COVID-19 and identify the characteristics of patients who would benefit most from echocardiography.
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Content ArticleCoroners have a statutory duty to issue a Prevention of Further Deaths report to any person or organisation where, in the opinion of the coroner, action should be taken to prevent future deaths. This is a coroner's report into the death of 35 year-old Mr Mitica Marin. It was found that the defibrillator was set to manual mode, which meant that staff were not automatically alerted to the fact that Mitica's heart had a shockable rhythm. This caused a delay to Mr Marin receiving CPR treatment.
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News ArticlePatients suffering heart attacks during the coronavirus lockdown stayed away from hospitals with some dying as a result, a new study has found. In an analysis of more than 50,000 patients who suffered heart attacks and were treated in 99 NHS hospitals in England both before and after lockdown, researchers found the proportion of deaths for patients with a milder form of heart attack jumped during the first month of lockdown. Those suffering more severe heart attacks actually saw a lower death rate with hospitals keeping their emergency heart services running. Dr Jianhua Wu, associate professor in biostatistics at the University of Leeds and lead author of the study, said: “It has revealed that although patients were able to get access to high levels of care, the study suggests a lot of very ill people were not seeking emergency treatment and that may have been an unintended consequence of the ‘stay at home’ messaging.” Read full story Source: The Independent, 5 August 2020
