Telecardiology and its clinical applications
Journal Title: Αρχεία Ελληνικής Ιατρικής - Year 2013, Vol 30, Issue 3
Abstract
The success of any new telemedicine application depends on a large number of sensitive factors, including cost-effectiveness, efficacy, patient satisfaction, the related doctor-patient communication, and clinical outcomes. Telecardiology is the use of electronic and communication technologies in the practice of cardiology when distance separates the patient from the healthcare provider. The application of telecardiology is best when provided as a part of an integrated healthcare system. Its applications can be divided into the following phases: Prehospital, aimed at the timely diagnosis of acute cardiac diseases, namely acute myocardial infarction and life-threatening arrhythmias, in-hospital, aimed at the optimal collaboration between healthcare units, and ambulatory, including teleconferences between cardiologists and general practitioners about the monitoring and follow up of patients. Several studies have demonstrated that telecardiology applied for the diagnosis of acute coronary syndromes significantly reduces the time to primary coronary angioplasty, thus increasing both the survival rate and the quality of life of patients through minimization of the extent of myocardial necrosis. For patients with atrial fibrillation, telecardiology application can lead to diagnosis of the first episode, or to treatment modification for patients with the chronic form of the disease. When applied to patients with heart failure telecardiology monitoring may result, among other benefits, in significant reduction in hospital admissions. Sudden cardiac death is a major public health problem affecting 500,000 patients annually in the United States alone. Telecardiology contributes to the close and constant monitoring of patients at high risk for malignant arrhythmias and sudden death, such as cardiac arrest survivors, patients discharged from hospital after myocardial infarction and patients with cardiomyopathy. In conclusion, telecardiology may play a significant role in reducing distance and time between the people in need of healthcare services and their healthcare providers, with evident clinical, epidemiological and financial benefits.
Authors and Affiliations
A. TSIPIS, E. PETROU, P. KOURKOUVELI, M. BOUTSIKOU, S. MAVROGENI
Sexual behavior and contraceptive use among Greek nursing students
OBJECTIVE To investigate the patterns and characteristics of sexual behavior, including first sexual intercourse (FSI) and the use of contraceptive methods among university nursing students. METHOD During the period...
Bovine spongiform encephalopathy and Creutzfeldt-Jacob's disease 15 years later,<br /> where do we stand?<br />
No abstract available
A comparative study of health-related quality of life in patients with hepatitis B and CC
OBJECTIVE To compare health-related quality of life (HRQOL) of moderate degree hepatitis B and hepatitis C patients, without cirrhosis, who had been treated with interferon (α-2b or α-2a) for at least twelve months. More...
Statistical tests of the validity and reliability of the Greek SF-36
The purpose of this study was to implement documented statistical tests of data quality, scaling assumptions and reliability for the Greek version of the well-known health survey, SF-36, which is used widely for selfrep...
Arterial blood gas analyzers. Which is appropriate for point of care testing in the critical care unit?
OBJECTIVE Arterial blood gas analysis is a basic laboratory investigation in the critical care unit. In the past, a big problem in critical care management was the waiting period for arterial blood gas results from the l...