Promoting patient safety and improving the quality of patient care
Category: Blood Clots
Have you been diagnosed with atrial fibrillation (Afib) or know someone who has Afib?
If so, the Physician-Patient Alliance for Health & Safety invites you to virtually attend StopAfib.org’s “Get in Rhythm, Stay in Rhythm” Conference from October 30–November 1.
By Jane Nelson Worel RN, MS, ANP-BC, FAHA (Clinical Education, Preventive Cardiovascular Nurses Association)
Helping patients with Non-Valvular Atrial Fibrillation (NVAF) involves implementing guidelines-based strategies to effectively balance the reduced risk of deadly or debilitating strokes with the risk of bleeding—along with factors such as patient age and overall health. To help clinicians navigate the challenges faced by patients with Atrial Fibrillation (AFib)—the most common arrhythmia seen in clinical practice—the Preventive Cardiovascular Nurses Association (PCNA) has developed a trio of educational and reference tools for providers that will increase knowledge and directly impact clinical practice.
Continue reading “3 Tools for Better Management of Non-Valvular Atrial Fibrillation”
Because the COVID pandemic has presented us with unprecedented circumstances (probably only matched in current times by the 1918 Flu Pandemic, which occurred before most of our lives), our understanding of COVID is continually evolving and improving based on new research and data. Learning from new research and applying that knowledge to our lives and how we care for patients is essential
For this week, here are 3 studies that everyone needs to know about during this COVID pandemic:
Continue reading “3 Studies About the COVID Pandemic Everyone Needs to Know”
By Michael Wong (Founder/Executive Director, Physician-Patient Alliance for Health & Safety), Lynn G. Razzano, RN, MSN, ONC, CMSRN (Clinical Nurse Consultant, PPAHS), and Thereza B. Ayad, RN, MSN, DNP, CNOR (Clinical Nurse Consultant, PPAHS)
Virtual Patient Care Launched to Help Patients
We started Virtual Patient Care to help patients during the current COVID pandemic. Helping patients is what motivated BMS-Pfizer Alliance to provide us with grant support. Helping patients is why the American Heart Association, AC Forum, Heart Rhythm Society, StopAfib.org, Mended Hearts, and Preventive Cardiovascular Nurses Association have provided such great support and help for Virtual Patient Care. To read the press release on Virtual Patient Care, click here.
Since we launched Virtual Patient Care, we have received many questions from patients asking us to diagnose their ailments or asking us to explain why a certain treatment or medication isn’t curing them.
Continue reading “Questions We’d Love to Answer on Virtual Patient Care, but Can’t”
PLEASE DO NOT ASK QUESTIONS ABOUT YOUR HEALTH IN THE COMMENT SECTION OR INCLUDE ANY PERSONAL INFORMATION ABOUT YOURSELF.
If you’d like a confidential chat with us, please go to our Virtual Patient Care website, by clicking here.
We will try to answer questions asked in the comment section as the answers may be helpful to other patients.
Virtual Patient Care is a free online service where patients can speak with experienced registered nurses and get personalized answers to their questions.
In this video by Michael Wong, Founder and Executive Director of the Physician-Patient Alliance for Health & Safety explains what prompted the Physician-Patient Alliance and its cardiovascular partners – American Heart Association, AC Forum, Heart Rhythm Society, StopAfib.org, Mended Hearts, and Preventive Cardiovascular Nurses Association – to establish a nursing chat line:
“During the current COVID-19 conditions, patients face the burdens of social distancing and increased difficulty in reaching clinicians busy with emergencies. To meet the pressing needs of patients during this COVID pandemic, the Physician-Patient Alliance, with an unrestricted grant from the BMS-Pfizer Alliance, and our cardiovascular partners recently launched a free virtual patient care website and chat line.”
Editor’s note: Blood clots are occurring in patients diagnosed with COVID-19. This article offers some of the key treatments and recommendations you may experience when admitted to hospital and then discharged home. As well, it discusses the interim clinical guidance from the Anticoagulation Forum.
By Michael Wong (Founder/Executive Director, Physician-Patient Alliance for Health & Safety)
An average of 274 people die from blood clots – which works out to about one death every six minutes. These statistics are pre-COVID statistics.
Because of the current COVID-19 pandemic, this may be changing. There have been reports about the development of venous thromboembolism (VTE) in patients with COVID-19. The International Society on Thrombosis and Haemostasis has collected a number of studies and case reports on thrombosis in COVID-19 patients, and the Journal of American College of Cardiology released a review of current understanding, citing many of the studies and case reports which are on the ISTH site.
This COVID-19 pandemic is proving a challenge for clinicians to care for patients diagnosed with COVID-19. The interim clinical guidance from the Anticoagulation Forum (AC Interim Guidance) discusses the challenges of diagnosing a thrombotic event in COVID patients:
Editor’s note: Our understanding of COVID-19 symptomatology is evolving as the current pandemic unfolds. The International Society on Thrombosis and Haemostasis has collected a number of studies and case reports on thrombosis in COVID-19 patients. The Journal of American College of Cardiology released a review of current understanding, citing many of the studies and case reports which are on the ISTH site. This COVID-19 pandemic challenges us to use current knowledge and innovate new approaches to care for patients diagnosed with COVID-19. This article seeks to summarize some of the current knowledge about thrombosis in COVID-19 patients, knowing that future studies and case reports will undoubtedly refine the statements made below. However, this is science, continually evolving and improving based on current understanding. With that, this article offers some insights about VTE in patients admitted to the hospital who have been diagnosed with COVID-19.
By Michael Wong (Founder/Executive Director, Physician-Patient Alliance for Health & Safety), Laurie Paletz, BSN PHN RN BC SCRN (Manager, Stroke Program Department of Neurology, Cedars-Sinai), and Thereza B. Ayad, RN, MSN, DNP, CNOR (Assistant Professor, University of Massachusetts Medical School-Graduate School of Nursing; Surgical Services Clinical Staff Educator, North Shore Medical Center)
(reviewed by Sue Koob, MPA, Chief Executive Officer, Preventive Cardiovascular Nurses Association and Pat Salber, MD, MBA, Editor-in-Chief, DoctorWeighsIn)
Continue reading “COVID-19 Patients Are at a Greater Risk of Blood Clots”
If you have questions, the Physician-Patient Alliance for Health & Safety launched a free online service (the CV Virtual Clinic) where patients can speak with experienced registered nurses and get personalized answers to their questions.
Continue reading “Great COVID-19 Advice and Resources from Our Cardiovascular Partners”
The Physician-Patient Alliance for Health and Safety (PPAHS) today announced the launch of a new, free virtual clinic and website, Virtual Patient Care, in response to the COVID-19 crisis, to meet the pressing needs of patients with atrial fibrillation (Afib), who are at the highest level of risk from stroke, and to help Afib patients cope with the difficulties imposed by COVID-19.
“Under current COVID-19 conditions, patients face the burdens of social distancing and increased difficulty in reaching clinicians busy with emergencies. Telehealth has proven essential in addressing patients’ pressing health needs and ensuring good patient-to-clinician dialogue,” said Michael Wong, JD, Founder and Executive Director of the Physician-Patient Alliance for Health & Safety. “With today’s launch of Virtual Patient Care and the CV Virtual Clinic, vital telehealth benefits are now also extended to Afib patients in need.”
Continue reading “Virtual Clinic to Help Atrial Fibrillation (Afib) Patients During COVID-19 Crisis”
You may have never heard of amniotic fluid embolism (AFE), but if you are pregnant or know someone who is, AFE is a condition that you may want to learn more about. Little has been written or researched about AFE, so you might want to refer to these articles to learn more.
Continue reading “What You Need to Know About Amniotic Fluid Embolism”