Acute lower limb ischemia: a case study.

Acute ischemia of the lower extremity is a limb and life-threatening situation that demands prompt recognition and immediate treatment. The leading cause of acute limb ischemia is typically an arterial embolus of cardiac origin. Other significant causes are thrombosis of an atherosclerotic vessel and arterial injury/trauma.

Smoking: a decision-making dilemma for the vascular patient.

This descriptive study examined the differences in beliefs and social influences between patients who decided to quit or to continue smoking following diagnosis of chronic peripheral vascular disease. A consecutive quota sample of 20 patients who had quit smoking (quitters) and 22 who had continued smoking (continuers) agreed to participate in the study. There were no statistically significant differences between quitters and continuers in demographic characteristics, clinical variables and perceived social influences.

Feelings and attitudes during early convalescence following vascular surgery.

This descriptive study examined patients' attitudes and feelings towards convalescence following vascular surgery. A convenience sample of 25 subjects consisted of patients who had initial (18) and repeat (7) surgery. A self-administered questionnaire and a semi-structured interview guide were utilized to examine patients' perceptions concerning health, uncertainty about the outcome of surgery and course of disease, and their degree of adherence to discharge instructions.