Pharmacist-led medication management services: a qualitative exploration of transition-of-care cardiovascular disease patient experiences.

Objective: Hospitalisation due to medication-related problems is a major health concern, particularly for those with pre-existing, or those at high risk of developing cardiovascular disease (CVD). Postdischarge medication reviews (PDMRs) may form a core component of reducing hospital readmissions due to medication-related problems. This study aimed to explore postdischarge CVD patients' perspectives of, and experiences with, pharmacist-led medication management services.

Management of Acute Coronary Syndromes in Patients in Rural Australia: The MORACS Randomized Clinical Trial.

Importance: Treatment of ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) in rural settings involves thrombolysis followed by transfer to a percutaneous coronary intervention-capable hospital. The first step is accurate diagnosis via electrocardiography (ECG), but one-third of all STEMI incidents go unrecognized and hence untreated.

Objective: To reduce missed diagnoses of STEMI.

Development of Quality Indicators for Cardiac Rehabilitation in Australia: A Modified Delphi Method and Pilot Test.

Background: International guidelines recommend cardiac rehabilitation (CR) for secondary prevention of cardiovascular disease, however, it is underutilised and the quality of content and delivery varies widely. Quality indicators (QIs) for CR are used internationally to measure clinical practice performance, but are lacking in the Australian context. This study reports the development of QIs for minimum dataset (MDS) for CR and the results of a pilot test for feasibility and applicability in clinical practice in Australia.

Outcomes following heart failure hospitalization in a regional Australian setting between 2005 and 2014.

Aims: The aim of the current study is to examine 10 year trends in mortality and readmission following heart failure (HF) hospitalization in metropolitan and regional Australian settings.

Methods And Results: We identified all index HF hospitalizations in the Hunter New England region from 2005 to 2014, using a 10 year 'look back' period. The primary endpoint was a composite of all-cause mortality or all-cause readmission at 1 year.

Screening for obstructive sleep apnoea in cardiac rehabilitation: A position statement from the Australian Centre for Heart Health and the Australian Cardiovascular Health and Rehabilitation Association.

Obstructive sleep apnoea is highly prevalent in acute coronary syndrome patients eligible for enrolment in cardiac rehabilitation programmes. This condition is an independent predictor of increased morbidity and comorbid conditions in the general population and can lead to an increase in major adverse cardiac events such as revascularization, heart failure and hospital readmission in cardiac patients. There is convincing evidence that treatments such as continuous positive airway pressure or mandibular advancement devices can successfully treat obstructive sleep apnoea and these conditions can be improved or negated resulting in improved cardiac rehabilitation outcomes and improved health related quality of life.