However , there were no consistent relationships observed between intervention characteristics and the effects of interventions .
Most trials review ed demonstrated a beneficial impact of nursing interventions for secondary prevention in patients with CAD or heart failure .
OBJECTIVE This systematic review of recent r and omized trials was conducted to determine if cardiovascular nursing interventions improve outcomes in patients with coronary artery disease ( CAD ) and /or heart failure .
Added value of a physician-and-nurse-directed heart failure clinic: results from the Deventer–Alkmaar heart failure study
Aim : To determine whether an intensive intervention at a heart failure ( HF ) clinic by a combination of a clinician and a cardiovascular nurse , both trained in HF , reduces the incidence of hospitalisation for worsening HF and /or all-cause mortality ( primary end point ) and improves functional status ( including left ventricular ejection fraction , New York Heart Association ( NYHA ) class and quality of life ) in patients with NYHA class III or IV . Setting : Two regional teaching hospitals in The Netherl and s. Methods : 240 patients were r and omly allocated to the 1-year intervention  ( n = 118 ) or usual care ( n = 122 ) . The intervention consisted of 9 scheduled patient contacts — at day 3 by telephone , and at weeks 1 , 3 , 5 , 7 and at months 3 , 6 , 9 and 12 by a visit — to a combined , intensive physician- and -nurse-directed HF outpatient clinic , starting within a week after hospital discharge from the hospital or referral from the outpatient clinic . Verbal and written comprehensive education , optimisation of treatment , easy access to the clinic , recommendations for exercise and rest , and advice for symptom monitoring and self-care were provided . Usual care included outpatient visits initialised by individual cardiologists in the cardiology departments involved and applying the guidelines of the European Society of Cardiology . Results : During the 12-month study period , the number of admissions for worsening HF and /or all-cause deaths in the intervention group was lower than in the control group ( 23 vs 47 ; relative risk ( RR ) 0.49 ; 95 % confidence interval ( CI ) 0.30 to 0.81 ; p = 0.001 ) . There was an improvement in left ventricular ejection fraction ( LVEF ) in the intervention group ( plus 2.6 % ) compared with the usual care group ( minus 3.1 % ; p = 0.004 ) . Patients in the intervention group were hospitalised for a total of 359 days compared with 644 days for those in the usual care group . Beneficial effects were also observed on NYHA classification , prescription of spironolactone , maximally reached dose of β-blockers , quality of life , self-care behaviour and healthcare costs . Conclusion : A heart failure clinic involving an intensive intervention by both a clinician and a cardiovascular nurse substantially reduces hospitalisations for worsening HF and /or all-cause mortality and improves functional status , while decreasing healthcare costs , even in a country with a primary -care-based healthcare system
However , there were no consistent relationships observed between intervention characteristics and the effects of interventions .
Most trials review ed demonstrated a beneficial impact of nursing interventions for secondary prevention in patients with CAD or heart failure .
OBJECTIVE This systematic review of recent r and omized trials was conducted to determine if cardiovascular nursing interventions improve outcomes in patients with coronary artery disease ( CAD ) and /or heart failure .