A Nurse's Guide to Caring for Cardiac Intervention Patients

Cardiac intervention is a fast expanding field of medicine that is reducing the need for cardiac surgery. A Nurse's Guide to Caring for Cardiac Intervention Patients will enable nurses to fully prepare their patients and families for various cardiac intervention procedures.

Coverage includes:

• Explanations of what the heart condition is and how the procedure may relieve that condition
• Descriptions of what the patient can expect to happen before, during and after the procedure
• What nurses should observe for post procedure, and how to address any complications that may occur
• Guidelines for discharge advice
• Outlines for a pre and post care plan for each procedure – based on the latest research and experience.

Nurses will find the book informative on common interventional procedures, but it is also designed as a tool to be dipped into when caring for patients with more unusual procedures. This practical book includes chapters on: cardiac catheterisation; percutaneous coronary intervention; percutaneous balloon mitral valvuloplasty; removal of femoral sheaths; cardioversion; temporary and permanent pacemakers.

Preface vii

1 Access Sites of Percutaneous Procedures 1

2 Removal of Femoral Sheaths 9

3 Complications Associated with Percutaneous Coronary Procedures 21

4 Cardiac Catheterisation 33

5 Percutaneous Coronary Intervention 53

6 Percutaneous Balloon Mitral Valvuloplasty 81

7 Atrial Septal Defect Closure 99

8 Electrophysiology Studies and Radio-Frequency Ablation 115

9 Cardioversion 137

10 Temporary Pacemakers 155

11 Permanent Pacemakers 177

12 Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillators 201

13 Common Problems Associated with Permanent Pacemakers and Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillators 225

Glossary of Terms 239

List of Abbreviations 259

Index 265

“This book is extremely informative and very well laid out.” (Perioperative Practice, August 2007)

"...written by a nurse for nurses and addresses the current issues that are encountered when persons undergo cardiac intervention." (British Journal of Cardiac Nursing, October 2007)

Eileen O’Grady – A Cardiology Specialist Nurse in Leeds

Eileen has worked for the past 10 years on the Leeds cardiac intervention unit which is one of the largest and busiest cardiac intervention units in the country.

Cardiac intervention is a fast expanding field of medicine that is reducing the need for cardiac surgery. A Nurse's Guide to Caring for Cardiac Intervention Patients will enable nurses to fully prepare their patients and families for various cardiac intervention procedures.

Coverage includes:

• Explanations of what the heart condition is and how the procedure may relieve that condition
• Descriptions of what the patient can expect to happen before, during and after the procedure
• What nurses should observe for post procedure, and how to address any complications that may occur
• Guidelines for discharge advice
• Outlines for a pre and post care plan for each procedure – based on the latest research and experience.

Nurses will find the book informative on common interventional procedures, but it is also designed as a tool to be dipped into when caring for patients with more unusual procedures. This practical book includes chapters on: cardiac catheterisation; percutaneous coronary intervention; percutaneous balloon mitral valvuloplasty; removal of femoral sheaths; cardioversion; temporary and permanent pacemakers.

A Nurse’s Guide to Caring for Cardiac Intervention Patients will be an invaluable resource for all nurses, student nurses and medical staff new to cardiology who need to explain procedures to patients and their families.