Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in the Western world. For persons who have had a myocardial infarction the following rehabilitation and the group training, which is a part of this, are very important. The cardiac rehabilitation is designed to limit the physiological and psychological effects of cardiovascular disease. Purpose: This study aimed to examine how patients with cardiovascular disease experienced group training in relation to the International Classification of Function, Disability and Health, ICF. Method: A qualitative interview study was performed according to Malterud, inspired by the Grounded Theory method.

Cardiac troponin I (cTnI) is considered a specific and a sensitive biomarker of Cardiac disease, and due to a high inter-species sequence homology; human cTnI assays can often be used in veterinary medicine. The main aim of this study was to perform an initial evaluation of a human cTnI test, the Meritas Troponin I test, for measurement of equine plasma cTnI, in order to investigate whether the test could be a possible subject for a more comprehensive validation. The hypothesis was that the test could measure equine cTnI, as there is a good homology between equine cTnI and human cTnI. The evaluation included a dilution parallelism, an intra-assay precision study and measurement of plasma cTnI healthy horses. In the dilution parallelism and the intra-assay precision study, equine plasma with previously established high cTnI concentration, according to another cTnI assay, was used. In addition, cTnI concentration was measured in plasma, collected from 19 horses, without signs of disease at physical and ECG examinations. The obtained curve in the dilution parallelism was linear, indicating that the Meritas Troponin I test can be used to measure different concentrations of equine cTnI in plasma.

Cardiomyopathy is the most common type of Cardiac disease in the cat. Restrictive cardiomyopathy (RCM) is comparably uncommon and only a few studies have been conducted in this disease. The purpose of this study was to examine the presence and inheritance pattern of RCM in a family of Birman cats. The family comprised 177 known cats. 107 of these cats were examined by echocardiography, 23 of the cats died/were euthanized and a diagnosis could be established post mortem.

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is the most common heart disease in cats. Maine coon is one of the breeds where the disease is overrepresented. Studies have shown that HCM is inherited as an autosomal dominant trait in Maine Coon cats. This finding has led to cardiac screening using ultrasound in the breed. The results of the screening are used in a national breeding program constructed to reduce the spread and incidence of HCM in Maine Coon cats.

This student report is a literature study about cardiac insufficiency in cats and it is written mainly for veterinary nurses. It is about cats with an underlying heart disease that has led to an incompensated heart failure.It presents a general basis on normal anatomy and physiology, and also how to make the diagnosis, therapy and intensive care.The student report is also about the role of the veterinary nurse during the process of the disease, how to help the veterinarian in the best way, how to handle anesthesia in cats with a heart disease, which factors that can have a significant matter in feeding, and what advices to give to a pet owner with a cat with a incompensated heart failure..

In the United States, see recommendations for cardiac safety of sports arenas but also to health and fitness facilities. However, this does not exist in Sweden today. Objective: The purpose of this study is to identify the health- and fitness facilities today are equipped with respect to cardiac safety and specifically relating to preparedness for cardiac arrest. Method: Quantitative data are collected and compiled with the help of a questionnaire. The questionnaire contained 19 questions in total.

ABSTRACTBackground: To be stricken with a cardiac infarction is among other things linked to different risk factors.  Many studies show that the participants in cardiac rehabilitation programs learn to deal with the risk factors, increase their quality of life and lessen the risk for re-infarction.Objective: To describe the lifestyle and perceived quality of life of the individuals after having participated in cardiac rehabilitation program and to see if they had maintained their results up to a year after having a cardiac infarction.Method: The 19 individuals who had participated in cardiac rehabilitation in 2010 after having had a cardiac infarction were asked to participate in the study. Everyone agreed to participate. The study was made analyzing the surveys, one a locally made, that the individuals had filled out four and eight months after cardiac infarction, and the other the generic Quality of life questionnaire EQ-5D, that the individuals had filled out two and twelve months after cardiac infarction. Result: The individuals have not changed their lifestyle after having participated in cardiac rehabilitation which can be interpreted that they have followed existing recommendations. The mean weight increased with one kilogram, no depression is shown and they stress less.

The purpose of this essay was to review the literature and describe the patophysiology, diagnosis, microscopic and macroscopic appearance of aortic body tumors in dogs. The tumors originate from the chemoreceptor organs situated at the base of the heart. The chemoreceptor organs are neuroendocrine cells responsible for surveillance of changes in e.g. the blood pH. Aortic body tumors are rare and represent 7 % of the total cases of primary cardiac tumors in canines.

Hydropericardium or pericardial effusion (PE) is the accumulation of fluid in the pericardial sac and is often secondary to pericardial diseases or diseases related to the heart. It is unusual with clinically relevant pericardial diseases in cats but pericardial effusion is the most common one. Since PE causes serious symptoms and may lead to death it is important with a quick diagnosis and treatment. PE can be acute and cause cardiac tamponade, which gives severe clinical signs. Cardiac tamponade needs to be treated immediately or else the cat will die from cardiogenic chock. More common is chronic PE where the fluid accumulates during a longer period of time and the pericardial sac stretches.

Hydropericardium or pericardial effusion (PE) is the accumulation of fluid in the pericardial sac and is often secondary to pericardial diseases or diseases related to the heart. It is unusual with clinically relevant pericardial diseases in cats but pericardial effusion is the most common one. Since PE causes serious symptoms and may lead to death it is important with a quick diagnosis and treatment. PE can be acute and cause cardiac tamponade, which gives severe clinical signs. Cardiac tamponade needs to be treated immediately or else the cat will die from cardiogenic chock. More common is chronic PE where the fluid accumulates during a longer period of time and the pericardial sac stretches.

The objectives of this study was to examine the prevalence of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy in a family of British Shorthaircats to determine the mode of inheritance and to investigate if the disease was associated with a mutation in myosin binding proteinC (MyBPC3). The family comprised 28 cats, seven male and 21 females. The cats underwent a physical examination, including cardiac auscultation, and an ultrasound examination. Blood was collected for DNA- analysis. The blodsamples were sent in a buffer solution to Kathryn Meurs, Washington State University, USA for analysis, where the genes coding for MyBPC, Troponin I and T were characterized using microsequencing technique. Out of the 28 cats, 8 were diagnosed with HCM, 2 were diagnosed with congenital heart disease but had no evidence of HCM.

Chronic valvular disease (CVD) is the most common Cardiac disease in dogs, which account for 75% of all the cardiac cases. Cavalier King Charles spaniel (CKCS) is the most affected breed and it´s 13th times more likely that a CKCS, between the age of 7-10 years, will die or be euthanized for Cardiac disease, compared with other breeds. The prevalence has been proven to bee independent of coat color and weight but highly dependent on age and gender in CKCS. In 2001 the Swedish Kennelclub and the Special club for cavalier King Charles spaniel created a breeding program against CVD in CKCS. In this program dogs are not allowed to breed until 4 years of age and have to have a heart auscultation without murmurs.

Cardiac arrhythmias and heart diseases can result in a limited performance capacity which could lead to anxiety and depression. Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of symptoms of depression among patients with cardiac arrhythmias. The intention was also to explore differences between men and women in the occurrence of symptoms of depression. Furthermore, the prevalence of symptoms of depression among patients with cardiac arrhythmias was compared with a Swedish general population. Method: For two weeks MADRS-S, a self-rating scale for depression, were distributed at a medicine ward where patients with cardiac arrhythmias are treated, at a hospital in Sweden.

Early extubation of cardiac surgery patients has become increasingly important. The assessment of the patient before an early extubation is crucial and the intensive care nurses (ICU nurses) in this estimation is there for very important.The aim of this study was to examine critical care nurses' knowledge of early extubation, and what view ICU nurse has about factors that affect the time to extubation of cardiac surgery patients.A quantitative approach with descriptive and comparative design was used. Selection was all ICU nurses at a thoracic intensive care unit who were clinically active in patient care.The study showed that ICU nurses had good knowledge of why an early extubation was essential. However, the knowledge about the unit?s extubation criteria was low.

AbstractAim of the study: Aim of the study was to investigate whether there were any connections in time between different parts of care in patients with cardiac arrest and hypothermia treatment and cognitive and physical function six months after cardiac arrest and to investigate neurological outcome related to primary registered cardiac arrest rhythm after six months and if there were any changes in cognitive and physical functions as well as self-related health between discharge from hospital and six months after cardiac arrest.Method: The study included 39 patients admitted to three Swedish hospitals between 2008-2011. Cognitive and physical function was evaluated with Cerebral Performance Cathegory, CPC completed with Mini Mental State Examination, MMSE for cognitive function and Bartels Index, BI for physical function and Euroqol-VAS for evaluating the self-related health.Result:  A significant connection was shown between time to start hypothermia treatment and BI, patients with longer time showed improved physical function after six months.Majority of the participants (66,7 %) had Ventricular fibrillation/Ventricular tachycardia, VF /VT, as primary registered cardiac arrest rhythm and in this group CPC and BI was significant better compared with the asystole /Pulsless Electrical Aktivity, PEA group.CPC, MMSE, BI and Euroqol-VAS were all improved over time.Conclusion: Participants with VF /VT as primary registered cardias arrest rhythm had significant better cognitive and physical function 6 months after hypothermia-treated cardiac arrest compared with participants with asystole/PEA as primary registered rhythm. This shows the importance of access to defibrillators in public places in the society and in hospitals and optimal education of lay people and medical staff. Cognitive and physical function and self-rated health improves over time, which might be a very important reason to convey patients, relatives and medical staff to continue cognitive and physical rehabilitation. Keywords: Cardiac arrest, hypothermia, cognitive and physical function, wellbeeing.