Sophia Antipolis, 18 April 2017. The use of smartphones to assist the continuity of care between hospital and community is set to be discussed at EuroHeartCare 2017, which will be held 18 to 20 May in Jonkoping, Sweden, at the Spira Cultural Centre.
EuroHeartCare is the official annual meeting of the Association of Cardiovascular Nursing & Allied Professions (ACNAP) of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC). This year’s meeting is held in collaboration with the Swedish Association on Cardiovascular Nursing and Allied Professions (VIC).
The full scientific programme is available here
EuroHeartCare is the event to attend for cardiovascular nurses and allied professionals. More than 500 delegates are expected from over 40 countries. During the two-and-a-half day event, members of the press can get the results of cutting edge research from original scientific abstracts and gain insights into topical areas of nursing and cardiovascular care in state-of-the art lectures by renowned experts.
Journalists at the conference will hear about smartphone innovations for patients with cardiovascular disease. “Sophisticated wireless technologies are being developed for many aspects of care in the cardiac patient,” said Dr Gabrielle McKee, programme chair of EuroHeartCare. “Remote ECG and rhythm monitoring have the potential for patients to alert the hospital when arrhythmias or a heart attack occur. These technologies are easy to use, yet safe, efficient and accurate, and should lead to patients responding and receiving treatment more promptly.”
“The amount of time patients stay in hospital is much, much shorter than it used to be,” said Dr McKee. “After a major cardiac event we give substantial educational information to patients but the chances are that they don’t take it all in. Smartphone technologies are enabling us to continue to educate patients, to monitor their risk factors and help promote goal setting, behavioural change and self-care in the long-term.”
The origins of obesity will be explored by international leaders in a dedicated session. Dr McKee said: “It is thought that when we became farmers instead of hunters and gatherers this increased the risk of famine, and those with the genetic make up to lay down fat survived better. In today’s world, this adaptation plus the fact that we need less than half the calories of our forefathers, and that food has become more varied, appealing and calorific leave us at risk of eating more calories than we expend.”
Members of the press will discover how behaviour change can address the obesity crisis. “We need to shift the focus away from just the weighing scales and kilograms towards developing new habits,” said Dr McKee. “For example not rewarding yourself with something to eat when something good happens. At the congress we’ll discuss exciting ways that are helping people to change their behaviour which leads to a healthier lifestyle and subsequent weight loss that can be maintained long term.”
The use of mindfulness to improve mental health and wellbeing in cardiac patients is another hot topic. Journalists will get the most up-to-date research findings on this and other mental health strategies such as cognitive behavioural therapy for treating depression in patients with cardiac disease and heart failure.
The theme “Team Work for Excellence in Cardiovascular Care” will be featured throughout the congress. A session on how to build a golden team strategy will show journalists how the multidisciplinary team delivers treatment for a heart attack within an hour from the onset of chest pain, referred to as the golden hour. One of the consequences of good health care and innovation is that we are living longer. Frailty is a growing issue that requires team work between cardiology and gerontology and will be discussed in a session on the new challenges in prevention and rehabilitation.
Dr McKee said: “There are many challenges in today’s care that mean that team work including cardiologists, surgeons, nurses, physiotherapists and nutritionists is needed to reinforce self-care and prevention messages. This will help patients not only to feel ‘fixed’ after a treatment in hospital but aware and educated with a care plan to help prevent recurrence.”
ENDS
Our mission: To reduce the burden of cardiovascular disease.