Objective To determine if there is a relation between aspirin "resistance" and clinical outcomes in patients with cardiovascular disease. Design Systematic review and meta-analysis. Data source Electronic literature search without language restrictions of four databases and hand search of bibliographies for other relevant articles. Review methods Inclusion criteria included a test for platelet responsiveness and clinical outcomes. Aspirin resistance was assessed, using a variety of platelet function assays.

A better comprehension of the multifactorial mechanisms of activation of coagulation, inflammation, and fibrinolytic pathways during CPB may enable a more effective use of the technical and pharmaceutical options which are currently available.

Based on the standards of measurement in clinical research, a valid clinical tool was developed for predicting the need for blood transfusion in patients undergoing cardiac surgery. The clinical tool was internally and externally validated, and the results suggest that it should perform well at other institutions.

Objective:The purpose of this study was to investigate the factor structure and psychometric properties of the Cardiac Rehabilitation Barriers Scale (CRBS).Design, setting, and participants:In total, 2636 cardiac inpatients from 11 hospitals completed a survey. One year later, participants completed a follow-up survey, which included the CRBS. A subsample of patients also completed a third survey which included the CRBS, the Cardiac Rehabilitation Enrolment Obstacles scale, and the Beliefs About Cardiac Rehabilitation scale three weeks later. The CRBS asked participants to rate 21 cardiac rehabilitation barriers on a five-point Likert scale regardless of cardiac rehabilitation referral or enrolment.Results:Maximum likelihood factor analysis with oblique rotation resulted in a four-factor solution: perceived need/healthcare factors (eigenvalue = 6.13, Cronbach’s α = .89), logistical factors (eigenvalue = 5.83, Cronbach’s α = .88), work/time conflicts (eigenvalue = 3.78, Cronbach’s α = .71), and comorbidities/functional status (eigenvalue = 4.85, Cronbach’s α = .83). Mean total perceived barriers were significantly greater among non-enrollees than cardiac rehabilitation enrollees (P < .001). Convergent validity with the Beliefs About Cardiac Rehabilitation and Cardiac Rehabilitation Enrolment Obstacles scales was also demonstrated. Test-retest reliability of the CRBS was acceptable (intraclass correlation coefficient = .64).Conclusion:The CRBS consists of four subscales and has sound psychometric properties. The extent to which identified barriers can be addressed to facilitate greater cardiac rehabilitation utilization warrants future study.

We provide summary points to guide the clinician in everyday practice.

Objective-To investigate the degree of CHD awareness as well as symptom, risk factor, and treatment knowledge in a broad sample of cardiac inpatients, and to examine its sociodemographic, clinical and psychosocial correlates.Methods-1308 CHD inpatients (351 [27.0%] female), recruited from 11 acute care sites in Ontario, participated in this cross-sectional study. Participants were provided with a survey which included a knowledge questionnaire among other measures, and clinical data were extracted from medical charts.Results-855 (68.8%) respondents cited heart disease as the leading cause of death in men, versus only 458 (37.0%) in women. Participants with less than high school education (p<.001), an annual family income less than $50,000CAD (p=.022), low functional capacity (p=.042), who were currently smoking (p=.022), who had no family history of heart disease (p<.001), and who had a perception of low personal control (p=.033) had significantly lower CHD knowledge. Conclusions-Awareness CIHR Author Manuscript CIHR Author Manuscript CIHR Author ManuscriptPractice implications-Tailored educational approaches may be necessary for those of low socioeconomic status, particularly with regard to the nature of CHD, tests and treatments.

No abstract

clinicaltrials.gov Identifier: NCT01019135.