Peripheral Arterial Disease (PAD) is most prevalent in the elderly and associated with increased cardio vascular disease (CVD) morbidity and mortality. Treatment focuses on improving functional capacity and reducing CVD risk factors. To date, little is understood about dietary habits and weight in this patient population.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPeripheral artery disease (PAD) is an understudied chronic illness most prevalent in elderly individuals. PAD patients experience substantial walking impairment due to symptoms of limb ischemia that significantly diminishes quality of life (QOL). Cardiovascular disease (CVD) morbidity and mortality is increased in this population because of aggressive atherosclerosis resulting from untreated CVD risk factors.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Sudden cardiac death is the leading cause of on-duty death in United States firefighters. Accurately assessing cardiopulmonary capacity is critical to preventing, or reducing, cardiovascular events in this population.
Methods: A total of 83 male firefighters performed Wellness-Fitness Initiative (WFI) maximal exercise treadmill tests and direct peak VO2 assessments to volitional fatigue.
Objective: The purpose of this study was to understand the processes and interactions that African American tobacco control organizations use to engage African American communities in tobacco control efforts.
Design And Sample: The study used grounded theory methods to interpret participant's perspectives on tobacco control. The study sample consisted of African American tobacco control program directors from African American tobacco control organizations throughout the United States.
Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine coronary heart disease (CHD) risk perception, risk factor status, and factors associated with CHD risk perception in Korean immigrants with type 2 diabetes mellitus.
Methods: A community sample of 143 Korean adults with type 2 diabetes, aged 30 to 80 years old, completed questionnaires and biological measures. A multiple regression analysis was conducted to evaluate the relationships between CHD knowledge, general health, smoking, medications for CHD risk factors, demographic variables (independent variables), and the perception of CHD risk (dependent variable).
J Cardiovasc Nurs
February 2008
Background: Cigarette smoking is the most preventable risk factor for many negative health consequences, such as cancer, heart disease, and lung disease. In the United States, the prevalence rate in Asian immigrants is high (26%-70%), with Southeast Asian men having the highest rate. Acculturation has been associated with smoking behavior in this ethnic group.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFTo the practicing clinician, it seems obvious that limb hemodynamics would be the primary determinant of walking distance. However, other determinants, such as skeletal muscle metabolism, may play a role. Accordingly, in the current study, we examined the relationship between measures of limb hemodynamics and walking capacity in patients with peripheral arterial disease (PAD).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFJ Cardiovasc Nurs
September 2006
Patients with peripheral arterial disease experience significant functional limitations due to ischemic symptoms (claudication) and are at high risk for cardiovascular disease morbidity and mortality resulting from untreated cardiovascular disease risk factors and aggressive atherosclerosis. Peripheral arterial disease is commonly undiagnosed and cardiovascular disease risk factors are frequently untreated in this population. The increased risk associated with peripheral arterial disease necessitates greater emphasis on detection and management, not only to improve survival but to improve functional capacity and quality of life.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjective: The objective of this study was to compare psychophysiological and cortisol reactions to psychological stress in older depressed and nondepressed patients at risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD).
Methods: Forty-eight depressed participants and 20 controls with elevated cardiovascular risk factors underwent a psychological stress test during which cardiovascular variables were measured. Salivary cortisol was collected after each test segment.
Background: Classification of smoking status has a major impact on the conclusions drawn from smoking cessation intervention research, yet few studies have addressed this critical issue.
Objectives: The aim of this study was to compare three classifications (naïve, optimistic, and pessimistic) of smoking cessation outcomes or smoking status from the Women's Initiative for Nonsmoking Study (WINS).
Methods: This is a longitudinal prospective study nested within a randomized clinical trial (RCT) design of WINS, an RCT of 277 women over the age of 18 years who reported smoking cigarettes continuously for 1 month prior to a cardiovascular event requiring hospital admission.
Cardiovascular risk factors are associated with impaired endothelium dependent vasodilation and reduced vascular compliance. In this study, the correlation with cardiovascular risk factor score of two common techniques for assessing vascular function was compared. Risk factors and vascular function were evaluated in a study population of 122 people with peripheral arterial disease (PAD) or with risk factors for PAD (73 men and 49 women; mean age 69 years).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPeripheral arterial disease (PAD) impairs walking capacity and is often associated with a profound endothelial vasodilator dysfunction, characterized by reduced bioactivity and/or synthesis of endothelium-derived nitric oxide (NO). Previous studies have suggested that dietary supplementation of L-arginine, the precursor of NO, improves endothelium-dependent vasodilation, limb blood flow and walking distance. However, these studies have been small, and have used large intravenous doses of L-arginine.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFExercise is beneficial in improving claudication and functional capacity in patients with peripheral arterial disease (PAD). However, the physiologic response during and after exercise testing in this patient population has not been fully described. This study examined the cardiovascular response to exercise and explored the potential contribution of vascular noncompliance to exercise-induced hypertension in 124 patients with PAD and claudication and 31 comparison (C) patients with PAD with no walking limitations.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPurpose Of Review: The 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-coenzyme-A reductase inhibitors, or statins, have been shown to reduce cardiovascular morbidity and mortality among a wide spectrum of patients with established atherosclerotic vascular disease. Mounting experimental and clinical evidence also suggest a potential benefit as well as theoretical harm of statin therapy in patients with heart failure.
Recent Findings: This article briefly summarizes the therapeutic properties of statins that may be of benefit to patients with heart failure and the theoretical adverse effects of cholesterol reduction in this group of patients.
Prog Cardiovasc Nurs
February 2006
Little is known about the nutritional status of heart failure patients and the potential synergistic effects between nutritional intake and exercise. This small, randomized trial examined the effects of a 3-month exercise program on body composition and nutritional intake in 31 men (17 exercisers; 14 controls), aged 30-76 years (mean, 56 years) with stable class II-III heart failure. Baseline and 3-month evaluations included body mass index, body fat mass by triceps skinfold thickness, dietary intake by food frequency questionnaire, and the 6-minute walk test.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPeripheral arterial disease (PAD) is associated with impaired walking distance as the result of claudication and reduced quality of life (QOL). Diabetes mellitus (DM) is commonly associated with PAD. The combined effect of DM and PAD versus PAD alone on walking distance and QOL is not well understood.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThis study extends earlier trials indicating that atherosclerosis risk factors are underdetected and undertreated in peripheral arterial disease (PAD) patients. Recognition and treatment of hyperlipidemia and hypertension in PAD patients is suboptimal. Diabetes appears to be detected more frequently although glycemic control is still suboptimal.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFEur J Cardiovasc Nurs
September 2005
Background: Self-efficacy is a person's confidence in being able to successfully perform a specific activity or behavior. Self-efficacy has been shown to influence exercise capacity in patients post myocardial infarction, but has not been fully explored in patients with heart failure (HF). This study examined the impact of performance of a single treadmill exercise test and participation in a 3-month program of walking and resistance exercise on self-efficacy in HF patients.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPeripheral arterial disease (PAD) is characterized by walking impairment as the result of claudication, which is improved by exercise. Few studies have examined the impact of existing exercise patterns in community-dwelling patients with PAD on cardiovascular fitness and absolute claudication distance (ACD). This descriptive study examines exercise patterns, walking distance, and cardiovascular fitness in a sample of community-dwelling older adults with PAD.
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