OBJECTIVES

Clinical pathways (CPs) ensure adherence to heart failure (HF) management guidelines. To optimize quality care in a low resource setting, an evidence-based care pathway for the management of acute HF was implemented at the emergency department (ED) of the Philippine General Hospital (PGH), the designated national tertiary hospital and referral center. This study aimed to describe the characteristics of adults with acute HF admitted at the ED and evaluate the quality of care they received, measured using physician adherence to the hospital’s acute heart failure CP.

METHODS

This was a retrospective, descriptive cohort study. We reviewed the inpatient charts of all adult patients with acute HF admitted to the ED of the PGH and referred to the Division of Cardiovascular Medicine between December 1, 2022 and May 31, 2023. Quality of care was assessed based on adherence to quality indicators adapted from routine and conditional order sets detailed in the pathway. Descriptive statistics was utilized to describe patient characteristics, quality of care, and outcomes.

RESULTS

Two hundred thirty-six (236) patients were included, with a mean age of 51.8 years. Majority were male (53.4%); hypertension (61.4%) and ischemic heart disease (53.8%) were the most common comorbidities, and infection the most common precipitant of decompensation (60.6%). There were optimal adherence rates to routine orders, which included referrals to Internal Medicine and Cardiology, baseline vital signs monitoring, fluid intake and output monitoring, chest radiograph, complete blood count, blood urea nitrogen, sodium, potassium, prothrombin time, partial thromboplastin time, arterial blood gas, urinalysis, and N-terminal pro b-type natriuretic peptide. Conditional orders, such as oxygen support, focused echocardiography, thyroid - stimulating hormone, and the use of vasopressors, diuretics, and venous thromboembolism prophylactic agents, were optimally performed when warranted. However, we noted suboptimal adherence to certain resource-intensive conditional orders, such as hourly monitoring of urine output (61.4%), hooking to cardiac monitor (53.8%), and performance of 12-lead ECG within 10 minutes (56.8%). Further, only 43.9% of patients were referred to the intensive care unit. Troponin I, calcium, magnesium, and albumin were ordered in excess.

CONCLUSION

Overall adherence rate of physicians to the hospital’s Acute Heart Failure Pathway was satisfactory. Work is needed to improve adherence to hourly urine output monitoring, consistent hooking to cardiac monitor, and timely performance of 12-lead ECG – an effort that begins with expanding in-hospital diagnostic equipment and human resource supply. We recommend continuous pathway implementation with periodic evaluation and stakeholder feedback to further improve quality of care.

Human ; Male ; Female ; Middle Aged: 45-64 Yrs Old ; Adult ; Albumins ; Blood ; Blood Urea Nitrogen ; Calcium ; Cardiology ; Chart ; Charts ; Cohort Studies ; Critical Care ; Critical Pathways ; Diagnostic Equipment ; Disease ; Diuretics ; Echocardiography ; Electrocardiography ; Emergencies ; Emergency Service, Hospital ; Equipment And Supplies ; Evaluation Studies As Topic ; Feedback ; Heart ; Heart Diseases ; Heart Failure ; Hormones ; Hospitals ; Hospitals, General ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Indicators And Reagents ; Infection ; Infections ; Inpatients ; Intensive Care Units ; Internal Medicine ; Lead ; Magnesium ; Male ; Medicine ; Myocardial Ischemia ; Natriuretic Peptide, Brain ; Natriuretic Peptides ; Nitrogen ; Overall ; Oxygen ; Partial Thromboplastin Time ; Patients ; Peptides ; Philippines ; Physicians ; Potassium ; Prothrombin ; Prothrombin Time ; Quality Of Health Care ; Referral And Consultation ; Sodium ; Statistics ; Tertiary Care Centers ; Thorax ; Thromboembolism ; Thromboplastin ; Thyroid Gland ; Time ; Troponin ; Troponin I ; Universities ; Urea ; Urinalysis ; Urine ; Venous Thromboembolism ; Vital Signs ; Work ; Workforce

This is the case of a 62-year-old male with prior modified Bentall’s procedure using a 23-mm bioprosthetic valve last 2013 who came in with progressive heart failure symptoms. On physical examination, vital signs are stable. Physical exam revealed rhonchi on both lung fields and irregular rhythm with a grade 3 systolic ejection murmur at the aortic area. A 2-dimensional transthoracic echocardiogram showed an ejection fraction of 25%, aortic valve area of 1.0 cm2 and mean gradient of 21 mmHg consistent with severe low-flow, low-gradient aortic stenosis (AS). Options for re-do surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR) were discussed. Since the patient was deemed high risk for another surgery, the option for transcatheter aortic valve in surgical aortic valve (TAV-in-SAV) was considered. The patient underwent successful TAV-in-SAV using a 26-mm self-expanding bioprosthetic valve. Post-procedure, there was significant improvement of functional capacity from class IV to class I.

Human ; Male ; Middle Aged: 45-64 Yrs Old ; World Health Organization ; Vital Signs ; Respiratory Sounds ; Research Report ; Physical Examination ; Constriction, Pathologic ; Aortic Valve Stenosis

Objective: To evaluate the application value of a digital technology-based multiparameter vital signs monitoring system in perioperative comprehensive full-cycle surveillance. Methods: A comprehensive multidimensional vital signs monitoring system was developed through the integration of medical-grade wireless wearable devices, incorporating patch-type ambulatory electrocardiographic monitor, continuous glucose monitoring sensor, pulse oximeter, wireless digital thermometer, smart wristband, and bioelectrical impedance analyzer. This system facilitates continuous real-time acquisition of multiple physiological parameters including electrocardiogram, blood glucose, oxygen saturation, body temperature, physical activity, and body composition indices. The acquired data were systematically integrated and analyzed through a four-level digital architecture consisting of nurse mobile interfaces, bedside patient terminals, centralized ward monitoring displays, and hospital management information systems. One patient with gastric cancer complicated by diabetes mellitus was selected for full-cycle digital monitoring from preoperative evaluation to hospital discharge. The technical performance of the monitoring system was assessed in terms of data acquisition continuity and timeliness of abnormal event alerts. Results: The monitoring system effectively identified early postoperative abnormalities, such as decreased oxygen saturation and blood glucose fluctuations, providing timely guidance for clinical intervention. The built-in algorithm enabled visualization of perioperative stress levels through heart rate variability indices and continuous glucose monitoring data. The patient demonstrated good compliance with early postoperative mobilization, and the satisfaction score for monitoring management was 4 points based on the Likert 5-point scale. Conclusions: The multiparameter vital signs monitoring system enhanced the precision of perioperative management through continuous and dynamic physiological status assessment. Its modular design aligns with the principles of enhanced recovery after surgery, offering a novel technological solution for intelligent perioperative management.
Humans ; Stomach Neoplasms/physiopathology* ; Vital Signs ; Monitoring, Physiologic/instrumentation* ; Diabetes Mellitus ; Wearable Electronic Devices ; Perioperative Period

In view of the high incidence of malignant diseases such as malignant arrhythmias in the elderly population, accidental injuries such as falls, and the problem of no witnesses when danger occurs, the study developed a human vital signs and body posture monitoring and positioning alarm system. Through the collection and analysis of electrocardiogram (ECG), respiration (RESP) and acceleration (ACC) signals, the system monitors human vital signs and body posture in real time, automatically judges critical states such as malignant arrhythmias and accidental falls on the local device side, and then issues alarm information, opens the positioning function, and uploads physiological information and patient location information through 4G communication. Experiments have shown that the system can accurately determine the occurrence of ventricular fibrillation and falls, and issue position and alarm information.
Humans ; Aged ; Arrhythmias, Cardiac/diagnosis* ; Ventricular Fibrillation ; Electrocardiography ; Accidental Falls ; Vital Signs ; Posture ; Monitoring, Physiologic

OBJECTIVE: Non-contact continuous blood pressure monitoring is significant in vital sign monitoring. Frequency modulated continuous wave (FMCW) radar is suitable for non-contact wave signal extraction. A heartbeat-guided blood pressure monitoring algorithm using FMCW radar is proposed. METHODS: The target heart rate is detected and pulse wave signal is extracted based on FMCW reflected signals. The variational mode decomposition (VMD) is introduced to alleviate the interferences of human breath and slight body movements. The pulse wave signal is extracted based on target heart rate. Blood pressure related features of pure pulse waveform are extracted to obtain blood pressure based on its estimation model. RESULTS: Experiments are conducted indoor among 15 participants sitting in a nature state. The average accuracy of diastolic blood pressure (DBP) is 94.3% and that of systolic blood pressure is 94.4%. CONCLUSIONS The experimental results demonstrate the robustness and effectiveness of the proposed algorithm, which makes it possible to further achieve long-term real-time non-contact blood pressure monitoring.
Algorithms ; Blood Pressure ; Blood Pressure Determination ; Heart Rate ; Humans ; Radar ; Signal Processing, Computer-Assisted ; Vital Signs

Physiological parameter monitoring is essential to medical staff to evaluate, diagnose and treat patients in neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). Monitoring in NICU includes basic vital signal monitoring and functional monitoring. Basic vital signal monitoring (including ECG, respiration, SpO2, blood pressure, temperature) is advanced and focus on study of usability, continuity and anti-interference. Functional monitoring (including respiratory function, circulatory function, cerebral function) still focus on study of monitoring precision and reliability. Meanwhile, video monitoring and artifact intelligence have presented well performance on improving monitoring precision and anti-interference. In this article, the main parameters and relevant measurement technology for monitoring critical neonates were described.
Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Intensive Care Units, Neonatal ; Monitoring, Physiologic ; Reproducibility of Results ; Respiration ; Technology ; Vital Signs

In order to obtain the three-dimensional pulse information and blood pressure waveform needed in the study, a radial artery simulation platform with programmable controlled injection pump as the core was constructed by using the circulation theory of human cardiovascular system and pulse wave formation mechanism. Gaussian function model was selected to synthesize multi-type pulse wave to program and drive the platform. The three-dimensional pulse information and blood pressure waveform of the simulated radial artery were collected by binocular visual pulse detection system and pressure transmitter respectively, and the platform stability and repeatability were tested by Pearson correlation. The experimental results show that the radial artery simulation platform is stable, reliable and repeatable, and can generate multiple types of three-dimensional pulse information and blood pressure waveform at the simulated radial artery. The platform is simple in structure, low in cost, and produces many types of pulsating flow. It provides an experimental research platform for revealing the relationship between the three-dimensional pulse information of radial artery and the change of pressure inside the vessel, as well as the prediction of blood pressure waveform from the three-dimensional pulse information.
Blood Pressure ; Computer Simulation ; Heart Rate ; Humans ; Radial Artery ; Vital Signs

Life monitoring technology as the basis of health evaluation, in recent years, its related technology research also has new development, in which cardiopulmonary parameters are the core physiological indicators to measure the basic state of vital signs, the analysis of its monitoring technology is particularly important. In this study, the main means of life monitoring are analyzed, and the monitoring technology of cardiopulmonary parameters is the main focus. What is more, the research status and development of contact and non-contact cardiopulmonary monitoring technology at home and abroad were also considered. Lastly, this study will be combined with the radar wave vital signs monitoring technology, which has been achieved good results in the field of cardiopulmonary monitoring, in order to provide a reference for the long-term development of life monitoring field and the technology integration of intelligent pension, intelligent automobile and other related industries.
Algorithms ; Heart Rate ; Monitoring, Physiologic ; Radar ; Respiratory Rate ; Technology ; Vital Signs

Physiological parameters monitoring is essential to direct medical staff to evaluate, diagnose and treat critical patients quantitatively. ECG, blood pressure, SpO2, respiratory rate and body temperature are the basic vital signs of patients in the ICU. The measuring methods are relatively mature at present, and the trend is to be wireless and more accurate and comfortable. Hemodynamics, oxygen metabolism and microcirculation should be taken seriously during the treatment of acute critical patients. The related monitoring technology has made significant progress in recent years, the trend is to reduce the trauma and improve the accuracy and usability. With the development of machine vision and data fusion technology, the identification of patient behavior and deterioration has become hot topics. This review is focused on current parameters monitoring technologies, aims to provide reference for future related research.
Humans ; Intensive Care Units ; Monitoring, Physiologic ; Oxygen Saturation ; Technology ; Vital Signs

In malaria, splenic rupture is a serious complication potentially leading to death. Subcapsular hemorrhage of spleen is thought to be an impending sign of splenic rupture; however, the characteristics of subcapsular hemorrhage are not well known. We report 3 cases of subcapsular hemorrhage of the spleen in vivax malaria, with varying degrees of severity. Case 1 showed subcapsular hemorrhage without splenic rupture, was treated by antimalarial drug without any procedure. The healing process of the patient's spleen was monitored through 6 computed tomography follow-up examinations, over 118 days. Case 2 presented subcapsular hemorrhage with splenic rupture, treated only with an antimalarial drug. Case 3 showed subcapsular hemorrhage with splenic rupture and hypotension, treated using splenic artery embolization. They all recovered from subcapsular hemorrhage without any other complications. These 3 cases reveal the process of subcapsular hemorrhage leading to rupture and a potentially fatal outcome. The treatment plan of subcapsular hemorrhage should be determined carefully considering the vital signs, changes in hemoglobin, and bleeding tendency.
Fatal Outcome ; Follow-Up Studies ; Hemorrhage ; Hypotension ; Malaria ; Malaria, Vivax ; Plasmodium vivax ; Rupture ; Spleen ; Splenic Artery ; Splenic Rupture ; Vital Signs