Anders Broström

Sleep Disturbances in Patients with Chronic Heart Failure and Their Holistic Consequences—What Different Care Actions can be Implemented?

Background: Sleep disturbances are prevalent among elderly, especially among those with chronic heart failure (CHF) and can affect all dimensions of quality of life (QOL) negatively. Aim: To describe the most common causes leading to sleep disturbances in patients with CHF, their consequences from a holistic perspective and different care actions that can be implemented. Methods: MEDLINE and CINAHL databases were searched from 1989 to July 2004. Findings: Sleep disordered breathing (SDB), and insomnia were the most common causes for sleep disturbances and occurs in 45–82% (SDB) and one-third (insomnia) of all patients with CHF. SDB cause a disturbed sleep structure with frequent awakenings, as well as several adverse effects on the cardiovascular system causing increased morbidity and mortality. Insomnia, caused by anxiety, an unknown life situation in relation to the debut of CHF, or symptoms/deteriorations of CHF can lead to negative effects on all aspects of QOL, as well as daytime sleepiness. Conclusion: The high prevalence of sleep disturbances and their holistic consequences should be taken into account when nurses asses and plan the care for patients with CHF. Randomized studies with large sample sizes evaluating non-pharmacological nursing interventions that improve sleep are needed.

Factors and interventions influencing health-related quality of life in patients with heart failure : a review of the literature

Introduction: Because of the lack of a cure for patients with chronic heart failure (HF), there has been a progressive interest in the use of health-related quality of life (Hr-QoL) as complementary end-point to mortality and morbidity. Aim: The aim of this review was from a nursing perspective to describe Hr-QoL and the influencing factors of Hr-QoL, as well as to identify interventions aimed at influencing Hr-QoL in HF patients. Method: Medline, Cinahl and PsycInfo databases were searched from 1995 to 2004. A total of 58 papers were included. Results: HF symptoms and activity status influence Hr-QoL negatively. However, several individual characteristics such as personality, gender and age must also be taken into consideration because different values might exist regarding what constitutes a good Hr-QoL. Nurse led interventions based on education, support and exercise can influence Hr-QoL positively. There is also a need of more studies about the effects of depression, sleep disturbances, support as well as education on Hr-QoL. There is also a need of exercise studies with larger sample sizes and older patients in higher NYHA classes. Conclusion: Several individual factors impact Hr-QoL, therefore, must nursing interventions are individually adapted to the patients resources.

Creatures of habit: accounting for the role of habit in implementation research on clinical behaviour change

BackgroundSocial cognitive theories on behaviour change are increasingly being used to understand and predict healthcare professionals’ intentions and clinical behaviours. Although these theories offer important insights into how new behaviours are initiated, they provide an incomplete account of how changes in clinical practice occur by failing to consider the role of cue-contingent habits. This article contributes to better understanding of the role of habits in clinical practice and how improved effectiveness of behavioural strategies in implementation research might be achieved.DiscussionHabit is behaviour that has been repeated until it has become more or less automatic, enacted without purposeful thinking, largely without any sense of awareness. The process of forming habits occurs through a gradual shift in cognitive control from intentional to automatic processes. As behaviour is repeated in the same context, the control of behaviour gradually shifts from being internally guided (e.g., beliefs, attitudes, and intention) to being triggered by situational or contextual cues. Much clinical practice occurs in stable healthcare contexts and can be assumed to be habitual. Empirical findings in various fields suggest that behaviours that are repeated in constant contexts are difficult to change. Hence, interventions that focus on changing the context that maintains those habits have a greater probability of success. Some sort of contextual disturbance provides a window of opportunity in which a behaviour is more likely to be deliberately considered. Forming desired habits requires behaviour to be carried out repeatedly in the presence of the same contextual cues.SummarySocial cognitive theories provide insight into how humans analytically process information and carefully plan actions, but their utility is more limited when it comes to explaining repeated behaviours that do not require such an ongoing contemplative decisional process. However, despite a growing interest in applying behavioural theory in interventions to change clinical practice, the potential importance of habit has not been explored in implementation research.

Association of Type D personality to perceived side effects and adherence in CPAP-treated patients with OSAS.

Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) is the treatment of choice for obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome (OSAS), but side effects are common and long‐term adherence low. The Type D (distressed) personality is defined as a combination of negative affectivity and social inhibition. The association of Type D personality with adherence has not been studied in CPAP‐treated patients with OSAS. This study aimed to describe the prevalence of Type D personality in OSAS patients with CPAP treatment longer than 6 months and the association with self‐reported side effects and adherence. A cross‐sectional descriptive design was used. A total of 247 OSAS patients with a mean use of CPAP treatment for 55 months (6–182 months) were included. Data collection was achieved by two questionnaires; the Type D scale 14 (DS14) (Type D personality), SECI (side effects of CPAP), as well as from medical records (clinical variables and objective adherence to CPAP treatment). Type D personality occurred in 30% of the patients with OSAS and significantly (P < 0.05–0.001) increased the perceived frequency and severity of a broad range of side effects. The objective adherence was significantly lower (P < 0.001) for OSAS patients with Type D compared to OSAS patients without Type D, both with regard to a mean use of 4 h per night and 85% of the self‐rated sleep time per night. The additional effect of a Type D personality on perceived side effects and adherence to CPAP treatment found in this study could be used by healthcare personnel when evaluating patients waiting for treatment.

Sleep disordered breathing in an elderly community-living population: Relationship to cardiac function, insomnia symptoms and daytime sleepiness

OBJECTIVE To describe the prevalence of sleep disordered breathing (SDB) and its relationship to systolic function, different insomnia symptoms as well as excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS) in elderly community-living people. This has not been investigated previously. METHOD Three hundred thirty-one subjects (71-87 years) healthy enough to be independently living in their own homes underwent echocardiographic examinations and sleep respiratory recordings. Questionnaires were used to evaluate insomnia symptoms and EDS. RESULTS Mild SDB (AHI 5-15) was found in 32%. Moderate SDB (AHI 15-30) occurred in 16%, and 7% had severe SDB (AHI>30). Median AHI was significantly higher (p<0.001) in those with mildly impaired systolic function (AHI 11.7) and moderately impaired systolic function (AHI 10.9) compared to those with normal systolic function (AHI 5.0). Impaired systolic function was associated with central sleep apnea (CSA) but not with obstructive sleep apnea. Concerning insomnia symptoms and EDS, only difficulties in initiating sleep correlated significantly (p<0.05) with AHI. CONCLUSION SDB is common among the elderly. CSA may be related to impaired systolic function/heart failure. However, detection of SDB in this population may be problematic since insomnia symptoms and EDS correlated poorly with SDB.

Measurement of Health-Related Quality of Life in Chronic Heart Failure, from a Nursing Perspective—a Review of the Literature

Background: Living with chronic heart failure (CHF) is distressful and affects daily life. Because of the lack of a cure for CHF, there has been a progressive interest in using health-related quality of life (Hr-QoL) as an outcome measurement of the treatment in patients with CHF. Objective: The aim of this review was to describe the instruments/questionnaires used in different studies in the measurement of Hr-QoL in patients with CHF, and how they were put into operation as seen from a nursing perspective. Method: MEDLINE and CINAHL databases were searched from January 1995 to June 2002, by using the keywords CHF, heart failure, QoL and Hr-QoL. A total of 33 articles were analysed. Results: Thirty-two different Hr-QoL questionnaires were found. Generic, disease-specific and battery approaches were different ways used to measure Hr-QoL. To assess/describe Hr-QoL, evaluate the impact of interventions and examine relations/predictors were three main objectives. However, different aspects of the concept Hr-QoL, influencing factors, how to implement the questionnaires and a lack of unified CHF criteria existed. Conclusions: To create a guideline for the measurement of Hr-QoL in CHF patients is of great importance for nurses and might generate homogeneity in the measurement methods and promote the scientific approach in the nursing care process.

Perceived informational needs, side-effects and their consequences on adherence—A comparison between CPAP treated patients with OSAS and healthcare personnel

OBJECTIVE To compare perceptions among continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) treated patients with obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome (OSAS) and healthcare personnel with regard to informational needs, side-effects and their consequences on adherence. METHODS A cross-sectional descriptive design was used including 350 CPAP treated OSAS patients from three Swedish hospitals and 105 healthcare personnel from 26 Swedish hospitals. Data collection was performed using two questionnaires covering informational needs, side-effects and adherence to CPAP. RESULTS Both groups perceived all surveyed informational areas as very important. Patients perceived the possibilities to learn as significantly greater in all areas (p<0.001) compared to healthcare personnel, and scored significantly higher regarding positive effects on adherence of information about pathophysiology (p<0.05), self-care (p<0.001) and troubleshooting (p<0.01). A total of 11 out of 15 surveyed side-effects were perceived to be more frequent by healthcare personnel (p<0.01-p<0.001). They also scored all side-effects to cause greater problems and decrease the CPAP use to a greater extent (p<0.001). CONCLUSION Knowledge about these differences between patients and healthcare personnel regarding educational needs, side-effects and their effects on adherence can be important when designing educational programmes to increase CPAP adherence. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS Measurement of these parameters before, during and after educational programs are suggested.

Global perceived health and ten-year cardiovascular mortality in elderly primary care patients with possible heart failure.

Although multi‐item health‐related quality of life (HRQoL) instruments provide prognostic information, they are rarely used in routine clinical practice.

Sleep Disordered Breathing, Insomnia, and Health Related Quality of Life — A Comparison Between age and Gender Matched Elderly with Heart Failure or Without Cardiovascular Disease

Aims: The aims of this study are (I) to compare the prevalence of sleep disordered breathing (SDB) and insomnia between elderly with heart failure (HF) and age and gender matched elderly without cardiovascular disease (CVD), and (II) to examine the association between HF, SDB and insomnia, as well as their impact on health related quality of life (Hr-QoL). Methods: Three hundred and thirty-one elderly (71–87 years) community-living individuals underwent sleep recordings and echocardiography. Questionnaires assessed insomnia and Hr-QoL. Comparisons were made between age and gender matched individuals with HF (n = 36) and without CVD (n = 36). Results: The HF group had higher mean apnoea–hypopnoea index (17.6 vs. 6.3, p < 0.001). Moderate/severe SDB was found in 42% of those with HF vs. 8% in those without CVD (p = 0.001). Those with HF had more difficulties maintaining sleep (DMS) (72% vs. 50%, p = 0.05) and excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS) (25% vs. 8%, p = 0.05) and scored worse Hr-QoL in five of eight SF-36 domains. In regression analysis SDB had no association to Hr-QoL. DMS associated to the physical-, and non restorative sleep to the mental domain of Hr-QoL. SDB had no correlations to insomnia or EDS. Conclusions: SDB, DMS and EDS are more common in elderly with HF. SDB is not an obvious cause for sleep complaints or poor Hr-QoL in elderly.

Clinical characteristics and mortality risk in relation to obstructive and central sleep apnoea in community-dwelling elderly individuals: a 7-year follow-up

BACKGROUND little is known about demographic and clinical characteristics associated with sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) and obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) or central sleep apnoea (CSA) in community-dwelling elderly. We also examined these (OSA and CSA) associations to all-cause and cardiovascular (CV) mortality. METHODS a total of 331 community-dwelling elderly aged 71-87 years underwent a clinical examination and one-night polygraphic recordings in their homes. Mortality data were collected after seven years. RESULTS a total of 55% had SDB, 38% had OSA and 17% had CSA. Compared with those with no SDB and OSA, more participants with CSA had a left ventricular ejection fraction <50% (LVEF <50%) ischaemic heart disease (IHD) and transient ischaemic attack (TIA)/stroke. There was no difference in the rate of IHD and TIA/stroke between OSA and no SDB, but more LVEF <50% was found in those with OSA. CSA significantly increased the risk for all-cause (P=0.002) and CV mortality (P=0.018) by more than two times. After adjustments for CV disease, diabetes and the biomarker NT-pro-brain natriuretic peptide CSA associations to all-cause mortality and CV mortality lost significance. CONCLUSION OSA, in persons >75 years does not appear to be associated with cardiovascular disease (CVD) disease or mortality, whereas CSA might be a pathological marker of CVD and impaired systolic function associated with higher mortality.