Implantable cardiac monitors: artificial intelligence and signal processing reduce remote ECG review workload and preserve arrhythmia detection sensitivity.

Introduction: Implantable cardiac monitors (ICMs) provide long-term arrhythmia monitoring, but high rates of false detections increase the review burden. The new "SmartECG" algorithm filters false detections. Using large real-world data sets, we aimed to quantify the reduction in workload and any loss in sensitivity from this new algorithm.

Implementation of non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulants in daily practice: the need for comprehensive education for professionals and patients.

Non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulants (NOACs) are increasingly used for the prevention and treatment of venous thromboembolism and for stroke prevention in patients with atrial fibrillation. NOACs do not require routine coagulation monitoring, creating a challenge to established systems for patient follow-up based on regular blood tests. Healthcare professionals (HCPs) are required to cope with a mixture of patients receiving either a vitamin K antagonist or a NOAC for the same indications, and both professionals and patients require education about the newer drugs.

Prevalence and antithrombotic management of atrial fibrillation in hospitalised patients.

Objectives: The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of atrial fibrillation (AF) in a tertiary care centre, to describe the comorbidity profile of hospitalised patients with AF, and to evaluate the appropriateness of their maintenance antithrombotic management.

Methods: In a cross-sectional, descriptive study, all consenting hospitalised patients from 36 wards in a University hospital (excluding critical care units, psychiatric, maternity and paediatric wards) received an ECG on a single day. Also their charts were reviewed for key demographic and clinical data.

Impact of corticosteroid-related symptoms in patients with immune thrombocytopenic purpura: results of a survey of 985 patients.

Background: Corticosteroid (CS) therapy is effective in many patients with immune thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP), although it is associated with adverse effects.

Objective: This study was conducted to describe the CS-related symptom experience of adult patients with ITP and to compare the symptom experience of current users of CS, previous users of CS, and those who have never used CS.

Methods: In 2006, adult members of the Platelet Disorder Support Association (PDSA) who were listed in the organization's database, resided in the United States, and had a diagnosis of ITP were invited to participate in a Web-based survey.

Beliefs and attitudes of intensive care nurses toward visits and open visiting policy.

Objective: To describe the beliefs and attitudes of intensive care unit (ICU) nurses toward visiting, visiting hours, and open visiting policies in critical care settings.

Design: A descriptive, cross-sectional, multicenter survey.

Setting: Seventeen hospitals in Flanders (Dutch-speaking Belgium), including 30 ICUs.