An intensive, structured, mobile devices-based healthcare intervention to optimize the lipid-lowering therapy improves lipid control after an acute coronary syndrome.

Aims: Despite the evidence, lipid-lowering treatment (LLT) in secondary prevention remains insufficient, and a low percentage of patients achieve the recommended LDL cholesterol (LDLc) levels by the guidelines. We aimed to evaluate the efficacy of an intensive, mobile devices-based healthcare lipid-lowering intervention after hospital discharge in patients hospitalized for acute coronary syndrome (ACS).

Methods And Results: Ambiespective register in which a mobile devices-based healthcare intervention including periodic follow-up, serial lipid level controls, and optimization of lipid-lowering therapy, if appropriate, was assessed in terms of serum lipid-level control at 12 weeks after discharge.

The Impact of Motivational Interviewing on Self-care and Health-Related Quality of Life in Patients With Chronic Heart Failure.

Background: Self-care is an integral component of successful chronic heart failure (HF) management. Structured educational programs have already been shown to be effective in improving self-care, but some patients show resistance and little motivation for change.

Objective: The objective of this study was to compare efficacy in improving self-care and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) for an educational intervention based on motivational interviewing (MI) compared with a conventional educational intervention.

Impact of Preoperative Measurement of Right Heart Chambers in the Evaluation of Pulmonary Hypertension Following Aortic Valve Replacement.

Background: Severe pulmonary hypertension (PH) in patients with aortic stenosis is related to poor prognosis following aortic valve replacement (AVR). Current European PH guidelines recommend adding two different echocardiographic signs to tricuspid regurgitation velocity (TRV) in PH estimation, classifying its probability as low (TRV ≤ 2.8 m/s), intermediate (TRV 2.

Efficacy of a nurse-led lipid-lowering secondary prevention intervention in patients hospitalized for ischemic heart disease: A pilot randomized controlled trial.

Background And Aims: Lack of achievement of secondary prevention objectives in patients with ischaemic heart disease remains an unmet need in this patient population. We aimed at evaluating the six-month efficacy of an intensive lipid-lowering intervention, coordinated by nurses and implemented after hospital discharge, in patients hospitalized for an ischaemic heart disease event.

Methods: Randomized controlled trial, in which a nurse-led intervention including periodic follow-up, serial lipid level controls, and subsequent optimization of lipid-lowering therapy, if appropriate, was compared with standard of care alone in terms of serum lipid-level control at six months after discharge.

Iron Deficiency Is a Determinant of Functional Capacity and Health-related Quality of Life 30 Days After an Acute Coronary Syndrome.

Background And Objectives: Iron deficiency (ID) is a prevalent condition in patients with ischemic heart disease and heart failure. Little is known about the impact of ID on exercise capacity and quality of life (QoL) in the recovery phase after an acute coronary syndrome (ACS).

Methods: Iron status and its impact on exercise capacity and QoL were prospectively evaluated in 244 patients 30 days after the ACS.