Decreasing Heart Failure Readmissions Among Older Patients With Cognitive Impairment by Engaging Caregivers.

Background: Cognitive impairment is common in older patients with heart failure (HF), leading to higher 30-day readmission rates than those without cognitive impairment.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to determine whether increased readmissions in older adults with cognitive impairment are related to HF severity and whether readmissions can be modified by caregiver inclusion in nursing discharge education.

Methods: This study used prospective quality improvement program of cognitive testing and inclusion of caregivers in discharge education with chart review.

Hypothyroidism and renal function in patients with systolic heart failure.

The extent to which hypothyroidism affects renal function in patients with heart failure remains incompletely explored, despite the known adverse prognostic implications of renal dysfunction in these patients.In a pilot retrospective study, we evaluated 75 patients (age, >or=18 yr) with left ventricular ejection fractions <0.40.

The prevalence and clinical relevance of sexual dysfunction in women and men with chronic heart failure.

Sexual dysfunction is a common problem of increasing incidence that is associated with multiple co-morbid conditions and chronic diseases. In heart failure, however, exact numbers are unknown, in part secondary to under-reporting and under-interrogating by health care providers. A gender-specific questionnaire was modified from established sexual dysfunction questionnaires to correspond to a non-randomized outpatient heart failure population, to assess the prevalence and demographic distribution of sexual dysfunction and potential treatments expectations.

Intermittent outpatient nesiritide infusion reduces hospital admissions in patients with advanced heart failure.

Recombinant B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) is a therapeutic modality in patients with decompensated congestive heart failure. Retrospectively tested are the effects of intermittent outpatient nesiritide infusion on symptoms, hospital readmission rates, endogenous BNP, and renal function in patients with advanced heart failure. Twenty-four patients in heart failure in New York Heart Association (NYHA) classes III-IV received a 6- to 8-hour intermittent nesiritide outpatient infusion (0.