Publications by authors named "Jason Bjelkengren"
Article Synopsis
- This study evaluates the effectiveness of Doppler blood pressure (BP) measurements in patients using the HeartMate 3 ventricular assist device (VAD), focusing on its accuracy compared to traditional arterial line BP measurements.
- The research involved 43 patients, collecting data from 589 simultaneous BP readings, showing that Doppler BP correlated well with mean arterial pressure (MAP) and provided more accurate results than systolic BP.
- The findings suggest that Doppler BP should be the preferred non-invasive measurement method for managing blood pressure in patients with continuous flow VADs, like the HeartMate 3.
Strokes remain a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in patients with ventricular assist devices (VADs). Varying study populations, event definitions, and reporting methods make direct comparison of neurologic event risk across clinical trials and registries challenging. We aim to highlight important differences among major VAD studies and standardize rates of neurologic events to facilitate a comprehensive and objective comparison.
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- This study investigates the accuracy of the Doppler opening pressure method for measuring blood pressure in patients with continuous-flow ventricular assist devices (CF-VAD), comparing it to the standard arterial line method.
- Researchers analyzed data from 154 patients and found a strong correlation between the Doppler measurements and the gold standard, especially for mean arterial pressure.
- The study concludes that the Doppler opening pressure method is an effective and preferable non-invasive way to monitor blood pressure in CF-VAD patients, as arterial pulsatility had minimal impact on accuracy.
We discuss the ethical responsibilities of mechanical circulatory support (MCS) programs in the context of cardiac device recalls, particularly the near-simultaneous recalls of Abbott HeartMate 3 left ventricular assist device (VAD) and Medtronic HVAD devices in 2018. We consider MCS programs' ethical responsibilities toward patients who already have VADs and their caregivers, as well as the impact of recalls on informed consent and shared decision-making in patients under consideration for new VADs. Timely communication to affected patients is imperative throughout the recall process.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIt is estimated that nearly 6.5 million Americans over the age of 20 suffer from heart failure. Heart failure is the leading cause of hospitalization in patients over 65 years of age, and carries with it a 5-year mortality of nearly 50%.
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