Background Cardiovascular disease (CVD) prevention guidelines stress the importance of smoking cessation and recommend intensive follow-up. To guide the development of such cessation support strategies, we analysed the characteristics that are associated with successful smoking cessation after an acute …

Patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) are at high risk of recurrent events. A healthy lifestyle can significantly reduce this risk. A previous trial, Randomized Evaluation of Secondary Prevention by Outpatient Nurse SpEcialists (RESPONSE), demonstrated that nurse-coordinated outpatient clinics …

Background: Improved preferred gait speed in older adults is associated with increased survival rates. There are inconsistent findings in clinical trials regarding effects of exercise on preferred gait speed, and heterogeneity in interventions in the current reviews and meta-analyses. Objective: to determine …

BACKGROUND: Secondary prevention of coronary artery disease (CAD) is increasingly provided by nurse-coordinated prevention programs (NCPP). Little is known about nurses' perspectives on these programs. AIM: To investigate nurses' perspectives/experiences in NCPPs in acute coronary syndrome patients. …

OBJECTIVES: The goal of this study was to test the unverified assumption that chronically elevated cardiac troponin T (cTnT) levels fluctuate randomly around a homeostatic set point. BACKGROUND: The introduction of high-sensitivity cardiac troponin (cTn) assays has improved sensitivity for acute myocardial …

Cardiovascular disease is an important cause of disability in activities of daily living (ADL) through its effect on physical functioning. However, it is unclear whether subclinical vascular abnormalities and rate of change in subclinical vascular abnormalities is also associated with an impaired physical …

OBJECTIVES: In health evaluations, physical activity (PA) and cardiorespiratory fitness (maximal oxygen uptake [VO2max]) are important variables. It is not always possible to assess both of them. If the association between self-reported PA and VO2max was strong, it would be possible to use the information …

Background: Patients with heart failure (HF) need long-term and complex care delivered by healthcare professionals in primary and secondary care. Although guidelines on optimal HF care exist, no specific description of components that are applied for optimal HF care at home exist. The objective of this …

Circulating sex hormone levels have been linked to a wide range of cardiovascular risk factors in men, but studies on incident CVD have been inconclusive [1]. Recent data from meta-analyses show an increase in CVD risk with low testosterone in elderly men and no association with estradiol levels …

Patients with cardiovascular risk factors can reduce their risk of cardiovascular disease by increasing their physical activity and their physical fitness. According to the guidelines for cardiovascular risk management, health professionals should encourage their patients to engage in physical activity. In …