Search PubMed⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

Marla J De Jong

Publications and source records attributed to Marla J De Jong.

12 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2005

Factors related to nonadherence to low sodium diet recommendations in heart failure patients.

BACKGROUND: A low sodium diet is a cornerstone of nonpharmacologic therapy for heart failure patients. Although nonadherence is common, little is known about why heart failure patients fail to adhere to this diet. AIMS: The purpose of this study was to explore the experience of heart failure patients in following a low sodium diet. METHODS AND RESULTS: We conducted a qualitative descriptive study with a convenience sample of 20 participants. Interviews were conducted and analyzed for themes. The data reflected three primary themes about nonadherence to the low sodium diet: lack of knowledge, interference with socialization, and lack of food selections. Participants expressed a need for details about low sodium food selection, food preparation, and rationale for the diet. Lack of knowledge also was manifested as diet confusion for participants who required additional dietary restrictions. Interference with socialization was manifested by patients' experiences with family conflict when family members ate high-sodium foods and difficulty eating out. The theme of lack of low sodium food selections was reflected by comments about limited food choices, and lack of palatability. CONCLUSION: Researchers and clinicians need to consider patients' perceptions as they generate and evaluate interventions to increase adherence to a low sodium diet.

Aged↗
PubMed2005

Depression and anxiety in heart failure.

BACKGROUND: Although common among patients with heart failure, depression and anxiety have been relatively neglected by researchers and practitioners. Both depression and anxiety have been implicated in contributing independently to the poor outcomes seen in patients with heart failure. Emphasis in the literature is on physical symptom recognition and management, in contrast to the patient's perspective of the effects of heart failure on his or her daily life. METHODS AND RESULTS: This review summarizes and integrates research findings on anxiety and depression and translates these findings to clinical practice. Depression and anxiety are prevalent among patients with heart failure and require assessment and intervention. Short-term nonpharmacologic approaches, in conjunction with drug therapy, hold promise for successful management of patients who are depressed or anxious. CONCLUSION: Carefully designed clinical trials that are tailored to individual needs, yet are embedded within a systemic framework, are needed to inform clinicians regarding optimal practices for the treatment of patients with heart failure who suffer from depression or anxiety.

Anxiety↗
PubMed2005

The manuscript option dissertation: multiple perspectives.

Based on our experiences at the University of Kentucky, the manuscript option dissertation is clearly a win-win situation from every angle. Other doctoral programs may find this approach invigorating. The ultimate benefit is the rapid dissemination of new knowledge to healthcare professionals for application to practice.

Academic Dissertations as Topic↗
PubMed2004

A five-country comparison of anxiety early after acute myocardial infarction.

BACKGROUND: Anxiety is common after acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and has the potential to negatively affect physical and psychosocial recovery. There have been no cross-cultural comparisons of anxiety among AMI patients. AIMS: To evaluate whether anxiety after AMI differs across five diverse countries and to determine whether an interaction between country, and sociodemographic and clinical variables contributes to variations in reporting anxiety. METHODS AND RESULTS: A total of 912 individuals with confirmed AMI were enrolled in this prospective, comparative, cross-cultural study. Anxiety was assessed within 72 h of hospital admission using the Brief Symptom Inventory. The mean level of anxiety in the entire sample was 0.62+/-0.76, which is 44% higher than the normal mean level. Anxiety levels were not significantly different among the countries with the exception that patients in England reported lower levels of anxiety than those in the US (P=0.03). However, this difference disappeared after controlling for sociodemographic variables on which the countries differed. CONCLUSION: Patients from each country studied experienced high anxiety after AMI. Even though various cultures were represented in this study, culture itself did not account for variations in anxiety after AMI. It appears that anxiety after AMI is a universal phenomenon.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed2004

Anxiety is not manifested by elevated heart rate and blood pressure in acutely ill cardiac patients.

BACKGROUND: Accurate assessment of anxiety in cardiac patients is important because anxiety is associated with adverse outcomes. Clinicians often use heart rate and blood pressure as indicators of anxiety; however, little is known about whether these measures accurately reflect anxiety in acutely ill patients. AIMS: The purpose of this study was to determine whether heart rate and blood pressure were related to level of anxiety in patients with chronic advanced heart failure (HF), patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI), and healthy individuals. METHODS AND RESULTS: In this descriptive, correlational study, anxiety, heart rate, and blood pressure were measured at the same time in three groups of individuals: (1) 54 patients hospitalized for AMI; (2) 32 patients with chronic advanced HF; and (3) 31 healthy individuals. State anxiety was measured using the anxiety subscale of the Brief Symptom Inventory. Heart rate and blood pressure data were collected immediately prior to the anxiety assessment. Data were collected in the outpatient setting for patients with HF and healthy individuals. For patients with AMI, data were collected a mean of 48+/-33 h after admission. There were no correlations between anxiety and heart rate or diastolic blood pressure. Higher anxiety was associated with lower systolic blood pressure in patients with AMI (r=-0.23, P<0.05) and in healthy individuals (r=-0.27, P<0.05). CONCLUSION: Elevated heart rate and blood pressure do not accurately reflect level of anxiety as reported by patients with HF or AMI and healthy individuals, and thus cannot be used to assess anxiety in acutely ill patients. Clinicians who use changes in heart rate or blood pressure as indicators of anxiety may fail to recognize and treat anxiety, placing their patients at high risk for both immediate and long-term complications.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed2004

Spotting reference errors.

While authors are ultimately responsible to ensure that reference citations are correct, nurse editors and reviewers can use practical strategies to detect errors before publication. This author, an experienced reviewer, provides warning signs you can look for to uncover hidden citation errors as you review manuscripts.

Bibliographies as Topic↗
PubMedDate not supplied

A cross-sectional examination of changes in anxiety early after acute myocardial infarction.

BACKGROUND: Anxiety is common after acute myocardial infarction (AMI). The assessment and treatment of anxiety early after AMI is important, because anxiety is associated with increased morbidity and mortality. Few data exist about anxiety early after AMI, the time when anxiety likely peaks. Furthermore, no researchers have evaluated potential gender differences in the evolution of anxiety after AMI. OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to investigate the evolution of anxiety during the first 72 hours of hospitalization for AMI and to examine whether there is a gender difference in the pattern of anxiety early after AMI, from cross-sectional data. METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, 486 patients with AMI were recruited from 4 urban university medical centers and 2 private hospitals in the United States and 1 large university teaching hospital in Australia. The Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory was used to measure anxiety once in each patient within 72 hours of the patient's admission to the hospital. Patients were divided into 6 groups based on the time interval in which they were interviewed. RESULTS: The mean score of state anxiety was 39 +/- 13. Peak anxiety occurred within the first 12 hours after AMI (P<.05) and anxiety level differed among the time intervals (F [5, 474]=4.55, P<.001). There was a main effect of gender on anxiety (F [1, 474]=11.86, P<.001). Women reported higher anxiety than men at all time points except the time interval of 24.1 to 36 hours after AMI. CONCLUSION: Prospective, longitudinal, repeated measures research is needed to confirm the trajectory of anxiety in AMI patients, but data from this study suggest that anxiety should be assessed and treated in the early stages of AMI to prevent potential complications that may be exacerbated by anxiety and to provide comfort to AMI patients.

Academic Medical Centers↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Heart rate variability analysis in the assessment of autonomic function in heart failure.

Heart rate is not static, but rather changes continuously in response to physical and mental demands. In fact, an invariant heart rate is associated with disease processes such as heart failure. Heart rate variability analysis is a noninvasive technique used to quantify fluctuations in heart rate. In this article, the authors review neural control of heart rate, briefly describe heart rate variability, and summarize research data demonstrating that heart failure is associated with altered heart rate variability. In addition, the authors present evidence that heart failure patients with decreased heart rate variability are at risk for future cardiac events, heart transplantations, and death.

Baroreflex↗