Aromatherapy in Obstetrics: A Critical Review of the Literature.

Aromatherapy is the use of highly concentrated aromatic plant oils administered in various ways for a wide range of therapeutic indications. The purpose of this review is to present an overview of the evidence on aromatherapy during the perinatal period. There is research on the prenatal use of aromatherapy to treat nausea and vomiting, reduce stress, and support immune function; the intrapartum use of aromatherapy for labor pain/anxiety and labor progress; and the postpartum use of aromatherapy for postcesarean symptoms, perineal trauma, sleep, and symptoms of depression and anxiety.

Stress, cognitive appraisal, coping, and event free survival in patients with heart failure.

Objectives: To describe self-reported stress level, cognitive appraisal and coping among patients with heart failure (HF), and to examine the association of cognitive appraisal and coping strategies with event-free survival.

Methods: This was a prospective, longitudinal, descriptive study of patients with chronic HF. Assessment of stress, cognitive appraisal, and coping was performed using Perceived Stress Scale, Cognitive Appraisal Health Scale, and Brief COPE scale, respectively.

Effects of cognitive behavioural therapy for depression in heart failure patients: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the effects of cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) on depression, quality of life, hospitalisations and mortality in heart failure patients. The search strategy was developed for Ovid MEDLINE and modified accordingly to search the following bibliographic databases: PubMed, EMBASE, PsycINFO, CENTRAL and CINAHL. Databases were searched from inception to 6 March 2016 for randomised controlled trials (RCTs) or observational studies that used CBT in heart failure patients with depression or depressive symptoms.

Prehospital Delay, Precipitants of Admission, and Length of Stay in Patients With Exacerbation of Heart Failure.

Background: Factors that precipitate hospitalization for exacerbation of heart failure provide targets for intervention to prevent hospitalizations.

Objectives: To describe demographic, clinical, behavioral, and psychosocial factors that precipitate admission for exacerbation of heart failure and assess the relationships between precipitating factors and delay before hospitalization, and between delay time and length of hospital stay.

Methods: All admissions in 12 full months to a tertiary medical center were reviewed if the patient had a discharge code related to heart failure.

Psychological Aspects of Heart Failure.

Psychological conditions such as depression can have a greater impact on morbidity and mortality outcomes than traditional risk factors for these outcomes. Despite their importance, it is rare for clinicians to assess patients for these conditions and rarer still for them to consistently and adequately manage them. Illumination of the phenomena of comorbid psychological conditions in heart failure may increase awareness of the problem, resulting in improved assessment and management.

Salivary Biomarkers, Oral Inflammation, and Functional Status in Patients With Heart Failure.

Aims: To describe correlations and agreement between salivary and serum B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP), C-reactive protein (CRP), interleukin (IL)-6, and IL-10 and determine which biomarkers predict worse functional class in patients with heart failure (HF).

Methods: Serum and saliva were collected from 75 hospitalized patients with HF (57 ± 12 years, 43% female, New York Heart Association [NYHA] Classes I [4%], II [43%], and III [53%]). Oral inflammation was rated as good, fair, or poor.

African American Race Is Associated With Poorer Outcomes in Heart Failure Patients.

Health care disparities associated with African American race may influence event-free survival in patients with heart failure (HF). A secondary data analysis included 863 outpatients enrolled in a multicenter HF registry. Cox regression was used to determine whether African American race was associated with shorter HF event-free survival after controlling for covariates.

Social Media and Evidence-Based Maternity Care: A Cross-Sectional Survey Study.

The purpose of this study was to describe how people use social media to find and disseminate information about evidence-based maternity care. We used a cross-sectional Internet-based survey design in which 1,661 participants were recruited from childbirth-related blogs. Participants answered questions about how they find, use, and share evidence-based maternity information using social media.

Depressive Symptoms: Mediator of Event-Free Survival in Patients With Heart Failure.

Depressive symptoms and poor health perceptions are predictors of higher hospitalization and mortality rates (heart failure [HF]). However, the association between depressive symptoms and health perceptions as they affect event-free survival outcomes in patients with HF has not been studied. The purpose of this secondary analysis was to determine whether depressive symptoms mediate the relationship between health perceptions and event-free survival in patients with HF.

Experience of Preeclampsia and Bed Rest: Mental Health Implications.

Preeclampsia is a major cause of maternal and fetal morbidity and mortality affecting 5-10% of pregnancies. Mental health issues are often exhibited in this vulnerable population partly due to the rigid management of this condition including prolonged bed rest. The purpose of this qualitative study is to describe women's experience with preeclampsia and being placed on bed rest.

Women's Experiences Being Diagnosed With Peripartum Cardiomyopathy: A Qualitative Study.

Introduction: Cardiovascular disease has been identified as the leading cause of maternal mortality in the United States, with cardiomyopathy, including peripartum cardiomyopathy (PPCM), accounting for 12% to 16% of all pregnancy-related deaths. The purpose of this study was to describe women's experiences being diagnosed with PPCM.

Methods: This investigation was conducted using a qualitative design.

Labour induction for late-term or post-term pregnancy.

Problem And Background: Approximately one in four women in Australia have their labour induced, and prolonged pregnancy is likely the most common reason for induction. Clinical guidelines recommend offering induction at 41 weeks, because it is thought that induction lowers the risk of stillbirth without increasing the Caesarean rate. However, the evidence behind this recommendation warrants closer investigation.

Concerns about implantable cardioverter-defibrillator shocks mediate the relationship between actual shocks and psychological distress.

Aims: Although most implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) patients cope well, fears about receiving ICD shocks have been identified as a major determinant of psychological distress. The relationships among ICD-related concerns, receipt of defibrillating shocks, and symptoms of anxiety and depression have not yet been investigated. Our objective was to examine whether the relationship between receipt of defibrillating shocks and psychological distress was mediated by patients' concerns related to their ICD.

Examination of the potential association of stress with morbidity and mortality outcomes in patient with heart failure.

Objectives: The high mortality and morbidity rates associated with heart failure are still not well explained. A few psychosocial factors have been studied and explain some of this risk, but other factors, like stress, remain largely unexplored in heart failure. This study aimed to (1) examine the association of stress with 6-month cardiac event-free survival, (2) examine the relationship of stress with salivary cortisol, and (3) examine the association of salivary cortisol level with 6-month cardiac event-free survival.

Self-efficacy mediates the relationship of depressive symptoms and social support with adherence in patients with heart failure.

Poor self-care is common among adults with heart failure and leads to poor health outcomes. Low self-efficacy, depression, and low social support are associated with poor self-care, but knowledge about these relationships in heart failure is limited. Secondary data analysis of cross-sectional data from 346 adults with heart failure measuring self-efficacy, depressive symptoms, social support, and self-care adherence was conducted.

The association of co-morbid symptoms of depression and anxiety with all-cause mortality and cardiac rehospitalization in patients with heart failure.

Background: Patients with heart failure (HF) experience multiple psychologic symptoms. Depression and anxiety are independently associated with survival. Whether co-morbid symptoms of anxiety and depression are associated with outcomes in patients with HF is unknown.

The Impact of Body Mass Index on the Link Between Depressive Symptoms and Health Outcome in Patients With Heart Failure.

Background: Depressive symptoms are predictors of shorter cardiac event-free survival, whereas increased body mass index (BMI) is associated with longer cardiac event-free survival in patients with heart failure (HF). However, the impact of BMI on the link between depressive symptoms and cardiac event-free survival is unexplored. The purpose of this study was to determine whether the relationship between depressive symptoms and cardiac event-free survival differs among HF patients stratified by BMI tertiles.

Depressive symptoms and the relationship of inflammation to physical signs and symptoms in heart failure patients.

Background: Depressive symptoms in patients with heart failure can affect the relationship between physical signs and symptoms and inflammation.

Objective: To examine the relationship between soluble tumor necrosis factor receptor I and physical signs and symptoms and the effects of depressive symptoms on this relationship in patients with heart failure.

Methods: Data on physical signs and symptoms (Symptom Status Questionnaire-Heart Failure), depressive symptoms (Beck Depression Inventory-II), and levels of the receptor (blood samples) were collected from 145 patients with heart failure.

Characteristics associated with anxiety, depressive symptoms, and quality-of-life in a large cohort of implantable cardioverter defibrillator recipients.

Objective: Although most patients with implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs) adjust well, some have considerable psychological distress. Factors associated with psychological adjustment in ICD-recipients are still not well understood. Our purpose was to describe quality-of-life (QoL) and prevalence of self-reported symptoms of anxiety and depression in a large national cohort of ICD-recipients, and to determine socio-demographic, clinical, and ICD-related factors associated with these variables.

Coexisting anxiety and depressive symptoms in patients with heart failure.

Background: Among patients with heart failure (HF), anxiety symptoms may co-exist with depressive symptoms. However, the extent of overlap and risk factors for anxiety symptoms have not been thoroughly described.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to describe the coexistence of anxiety and depressive symptoms, and to determine the predictors of anxiety symptoms in patients with HF.

The link of unintentional weight loss to cardiac event-free survival in patients with heart failure.

Background: Patients with heart failure (HF) commonly have unintentional weight loss, depressive symptoms, and elevated levels of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP). Each of these variables has been independently associated with shorter cardiac event-free survival. However, little data exist on the relationships of unintentional weight loss, hsCRP level, and depressive symptoms to cardiac event-free survival.

Depressive symptoms and inflammatory biomarkers in patients with heart failure.

Background: Inflammation may be a link between depressive symptoms and outcomes in patients with heart failure. It is not clear whether inflammatory markers are independently related to depressive symptoms in this population.

Aim: To determine which inflammatory biomarkers are independently associated with depressive symptoms in heart failure.

Medication adherence, depressive symptoms, and cardiac event-free survival in patients with heart failure.

Background: Medication nonadherence and depressive symptoms predict hospitalization and death in patients with heart failure (HF). Depressed patients have lower medication adherence than nondepressed patients. However, the predictive power of the combination of medication adherence and depressive symptoms for hospitalization and death has not been investigated in patients with HF.

Antidepressants do not improve event-free survival in patients with heart failure when depressive symptoms remain.

Objective: The purpose of this secondary data analysis was to compare event-free survival among four groups of patients with heart failure (HF) that were stratified by presence of depressive symptoms and antidepressants.

Methods: We analyzed data from 209 outpatients (30.6% female, 62 ± 12 years, 54% NYHA Class III/IV) enrolled in a multicenter HF registry who had data on depressive symptoms, antidepressant use, and cardiac rehospitalization and death outcomes during 1 year follow up.

Patient perspectives about depressive symptoms in heart failure: a review of the qualitative literature.

Background: Scientists have systematically established the prevalence and the consequences of depressive symptoms in patients with heart failure (HF). However, a comprehensive understanding of patient perspectives about depressive symptoms, in combination with HF, has not been published. A patient-centered approach may support the design of interventions that are effective and acceptable to patients with HF and depressive symptoms.