Burnout and retention of general practice supervisors: Prevalence, risk factors and self-care.

Background And Objectives: Burnout is common in primary care doctors. The aim of this study was to explore burnout, self-care and retention in general practice supervision in Australia.

Method: The sample comprised 267 general practice supervisors from all Australian states and territories.

Resting Heart Rate and Heart Rate Variability in the Year Following Acute Coronary Syndrome: How Do Women Fare?

Background: Women experience poorer health outcomes following acute coronary syndrome (ACS). Heart rate (HR) and heart rate variability (HRV) have emerged as sensitive and cost-effective markers of autonomic function and prognostic risk factors of poor cardiac outcomes. The aim of the current study was to investigate whether sex-specific differences existed across HR and five parameters of HRV, at 1 and 12 months following ACS diagnosis.

Screening, Referral and Treatment of Depression by Australian Cardiologists.

Background: Depression is common in cardiovascular disease (CVD). Clinical practice guidelines recommend routine depression screening by cardiologists. The aim of the study was to undertake a national survey of Australian cardiologists' clinical practice behaviours in relation to depression screening, referral, and treatment.

The relationship between phobic anxiety and 2-year readmission after Acute Coronary Syndrome: What is the role of heart rate variability?

Objective: Phobic anxiety is a risk factor for poor prognosis following Acute Coronary Syndrome (ACS). A psychophysiological marker of vagal function, autonomic dysfunction may play a critical role in this relationship. The aim of the study was two-fold: to assess whether phobic anxiety was characterised by autonomic dysfunction (heart rate variability) in the short (1-month) and longer term (12-months) following ACS, and (ii) to quantify the extent to which HRV parameters modified the effect of phobic anxiety on all-cause hospital readmission over 2 years.

Hopelessness and cognitive impairment are risk markers for mortality in systolic heart failure patients.

Objective: Depression exacerbates the burden of heart failure and independently predicts mortality. The aim of this study was to investigate which specific symptoms of depression predict all-cause mortality in systolic heart failure patients.

Methods: Consecutive outpatients with heart failure and impaired left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), attending an Australian metropolitan heart function clinic between 2001 and 2011, were enrolled.

Association between the 6-minute walk test and exercise confidence in patients with heart failure: A prospective observational study.

Background: Exercise confidence predicts exercise adherence in heart failure (HF) patients. The association between simple tests of functional capacity on exercise confidence are not known.

Objectives: To evaluate the association between a single 6-min walk test (6MWT) and exercise confidence in HF patients.

Heart Failure and Exercise: A Narrative Review of the Role of Self-Efficacy.

Chronic heart failure (CHF) is a common, debilitating condition associated with significant health and economic burden. CHF management is multidisciplinary, however, achieving better health relies on a collaborative effort and patient engagement in self-care. Despite the importance of self-care in CHF, many patients have poor adherence to their medical and lifestyle regimens, in particular with regards to engaging in physical exercise.

A Review of the External Validity of Clinical Trials with Beta-Blockers in Heart Failure.

Background: Beta-blockers (BBs) are the mainstay prognostic medication for all stages of chronic heart failure (CHF). There are many classes of BBs, each of which has varying levels of evidence to support its efficacy in CHF. However, most CHF patients have one or more comorbid conditions such as diabetes, renal impairment, and/or atrial fibrillation.

Self Managing Heart Failure in Remote Australia - Translating Concepts into Clinical Practice.

Congestive heart failure (CHF) is an ambulatory health care condition characterized by episodes of decompensation and is usually without cure. It is a leading cause for morbidity and mortality and the lead cause for hospital admissions in older patients in the developed world. The long-term requirement for medical care and pharmaceuticals contributes to significant health care costs.

Towards Optimal Heart Failure Care: Couples-Oriented Strategies to Improve Patient Adherence and Health Outcomes.

Psychosocial factors play an important role in the development and progression of cardiovascular diseases (CVD), such as chronic heart failure (CHF). In particular, psycho-cognitive disturbance is common in CHF, which presents additional challenges to secondary prevention and management strategies. This review provides a summary of the contemporary psycho-cardiology literature, including coverage of common mood and cognitive symptoms, and explores some of the pathophysiologic evidence linking psycho-cognition to CHF, with particular emphasis on sympathetic nervous system activation and neuroendocrine functioning.

Psychometric assessment of the Cardiac Depression Scale Short Form in cardiac outpatients.

Background: Depression is common in patients with cardiovascular disease and is a risk marker for increased mortality. The valid and reliable detection of depression is fundamental to the appropriate management of these patients.

Aim: The aim of this study was to evaluate the psychometric characteristics of the Cardiac Depression Scale Short Form 1 (DS-SF1) and the Cardiac Depression Scale Short Form 2 (DS-SF2) for screening cardiac outpatients in clinical settings.

Patient Self-management in Chronic Heart Failure - Establishing Concordance Between Guidelines and Practice.

Chronic heart failure (CHF) is a progressive and debilitating disease with a broad symptom profile, intermittently marked by periods of acute decompensation. CHF patients are encouraged to self-manage their illness, such as adhering to medical regimens and monitoring symptoms, to optimise health outcomes and quality of life. In so doing, patients are asked to collaborate with their health service providers with regard to their care.

Depression and cardiovascular disease: a clinical review.

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) and depression are common. Patients with CVD have more depression than the general population. Persons with depression are more likely to eventually develop CVD and also have a higher mortality rate than the general population.

Semi-Ownership and Sterilisation of Cats and Dogs in Thailand.

The aim of this study was to identify the prevalence of cat and dog semi-ownership in Thailand and factors that predict sterilisation. Semi-ownership was defined as interacting/caring for a companion animal that the respondent does not own, such as a stray cat or dog. A randomised telephone survey recruited 494 Thai nationals residing in Thailand.

The effect of music on cognitive performance: insight from neurobiological and animal studies.

The past 50 years have seen numerous claims that music exposure enhances human cognitive performance. Critical evaluation of studies across a variety of contexts, however, reveals important methodological weaknesses. The current article argues that an interdisciplinary approach is required to advance this research.