Diseases Commons^™

The Effects Of Smoking On The Calcification Of The Aortic Valve, Brittany Pendergraft

Biological Sciences Undergraduate Honors Theses

Calcific Aortic Valve Disease is responsible for approximately 28,000 deaths annually and the complete mechanism is not completely understood. The disease is known to be effected by an inflammatory response, osteogenic response and an oxidative stress response that leads to thickening and mineralization of the aortic valve. Originally, this disease was thought to be brought on by age and deterioration of the valve but these rapid stress responses when the valve is disrupted by biochemical and mechanical stress has led to its classification as an active disease. Smoking has been shown to have many of the same effects experienced by …

The Effects Of Pulmonary Hypertension In Diabetic Zucker Rats On Pulmonary Vascular Contraction And Right Ventricular Size, Michael Franzetti

Biological Sciences Undergraduate Honors Theses

Pulmonary hypertension is a life-threatening disease that is identified by a resting mean pulmonary arterial pressure over 25 mmHg and established by right heart catheterization (Saglam et al., 2015). The symptoms commonly associated with pulmonary hypertension include fatigue, dyspnea, syncope, and chest pain, which severely limit quality of life in diagnosed patients (Saglam et al., 2015). According to recent studies in patients with pulmonary hypertension, the one, three and five year mortality rates are 8%, 25%, and 34%, respectively (Burudpakdee, Shah, Joish, Divers, & Yaldo, 2014). Although some advances have been made in therapies for pulmonary hypertension, the prognosis is …

Qualitative Exploration Of Spirituality In Heart Failure Patients, Abigail M. Reggio

The Eleanor Mann School of Nursing Undergraduate Honors Theses

Background.

Heart failure (HF) is a severe, progressive disease that afflicts large numbers of

individuals around the world. One significant factor affecting quality of life in persons

with HF is the extent to which spiritual needs are met. Developing an understanding of

spirituality in the HF patient is essential in order for the healthcare professional to

provide the highest quality care possible. This study focused on examining spirituality

in HF patients by means of conducting in-depth interviews with individuals diagnosed

with HF and completing a descriptive analysis of the responses. The goal of this study

was to gain insight into …

The Effects Of Patient Education And Knowledge Of Chf Patients As Evaluated By The Paksac Survey, Nabil Tovar

The Eleanor Mann School of Nursing Undergraduate Honors Theses

After diagnosis, management of congestive heart failure (CHF) can pose quite a struggle to many patients, since it requires that lifestyle changes be implemented into their daily life. Patients require the sufficient knowledge and education in order to best manage symptoms and improve their quality of life after being diagnosed. Use of Patient Knowledge of Self-care activities in Congestive Heart Failure^© (PaKSAC) survey in transitional care programs could identify patient gaps in knowledge, as well as decreasing acute care service use. The purpose of this research study was to investigate the knowledge level of CHF patients at the time …

The Effects Of Congestive Heart Failure On Quality Of Life: As Evaluated By The Minnesota Living With Heart Failure Questionnaire, Diana G. Gonzalez

The Eleanor Mann School of Nursing Undergraduate Honors Theses

Abstract

Congestive heart failure (CHF) is a chronic disease that impairs the quality of life (QoL) of patients and is associated with both high hospital readmission rates and healthcare resource utilization such as emergency services. This study proposed use a student led transitional care program in providing home care to NYHA functional class II and III CHF patients. It evaluated the impact of the program on their quality of life as measured by the Minnesota Living with Heart Failure Questionnaire© (MLWHFQ), the percentage of patients requiring readmission to the hospital within 30 days of initial hospitalization, and healthcare utilization. Thirty-six …

Association Of Self-Care Confidence And Hospital Readmission Following Student Nurse Led Congestive Heart Failure Transitional Care Project, Peyton A. Phelps

The Eleanor Mann School of Nursing Undergraduate Honors Theses

Abstract

Over 5 million Americans have been diagnosed with heart failure, and that number is growing. This disease is burdensome to the patient as it lessens their quality of life and to the healthcare system due to costliness and frequent readmissions. This study aims to evaluate if a student nurse led transitional care program can increase patient self-care confidence, in turn reducing 30 day hospital readmission rates. Twenty patients completed the Self Care of Heart Failure Index before and after a 14-week transitional care program. These reported data were compared using a paired samples t-test. There was not a …

Effect Of Passive Heating On Males And Females With Elevated Arterial Stiffness, Forrest Blake Robinson

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Context: Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is one of the leading causes of mortality in the United States, accounting for about 1 in every 4 deaths annually. Studies have shown that passive heating does have some degree of effect on arterial stiffness, but not much is known about populations with higher stiffness. Objective: To examine the independent effect of core temperature increase during passive heating on arterial stiffness. Methods: Participants visited the lab three times; one familiarization and two experimental trials. The experimental trials consisted of subjects being passively heated in an environment of 40°C / 40% relative humidity (HEAT) or normal …