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High blood pressure (BP) or hypertension is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease, congestive heart failure, stroke and chronic kidney disease. Key strategies for managing hypertension include lifestyle modifications combined with medication. However, long-term adherence to these strategies remains a significant challenge. One recommended approach for improving adherence to lifestyle modifications and/or medication, and for increasing patient participation in management of their hyper...

Description Hypoxemia occurs when there is a low level of oxygen in the blood. Hypoxemia may be manifested by changes in mental status, shortness of breath, increase in blood pressure, changes in heart rate, dysrhythmias, cyanosis diaphoresis, and cool extremities. Hypoxemia often leads to hypoxia, which is a decrease of oxygen to the tissues of the body. Objectives Upon completion of this educational activity, the participant will be able to: 1.) Recognize and evaluate hypoxemia in the i...

One of the foremost causes of the obesity epidemic is the fact that few people engage in leisure-time physical activity. According to data published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), approximately one-half of U.S. adults do not perform the minimum amount of exercise needed to prevent diseases, such as diabetes and high blood pressure. One in four adults do not perform any exercise at all. This is despite the fact that the benefits of exercise are well-documented; includi...

Regulatory efforts to monitor pressure ulcer incidences in all healthcare settings and the Medicare payment change for hospital acquired pressure ulcers has focused the national spotlight on pressure ulcer prevention and early identification. But recent consensus by wound care experts confirms that pressure ulcers may be unavoidable under certain circumstances and in defined populations. The purpose of this presentation is to discuss the state of the evidence and to highlight the areas where...

Upon completion of this self-learning packet, the participant should be sufficiently familiar with hemodynamic principles to: 1. Define cardiac output, stroke volume, preload, afterload and contractility 2. Describe the technical set-up of intra-arterial and central venous monitoring equipment 3. Discuss the clinical significance of arterial blood pressure and central venous pressure 4. Describe accurate non-invasive arterial blood pressure measurement 5. Discuss clinical indications and...

Pressure ulcers are common in patients in critical care units, with national numbers reaching 30% incidence in some groups. When combined with pressure ulcers from medical devices, these patients may be the highest risk group of all! Can anything be done to reduce the risk? Are patients simply "too sick" to save the skin? Join us for this interactive session as the true stories of the ICU patients are told and explore methods to reduce the pressure ulcer numbers in your facility.

Many clinicians have difficulty differentiating lower extremity ulcers (arterial, venous, or neuropathy/diabetic) from pressure ulcers. If a lower extremity ulcer is mistaken as a pressure ulcer it can lead to improper treatment of these areas and skew your pressure ulcer rates. This session will help clinicians differentiate lower extremity ulcers from pressure ulcers and provide appropriate assessment and treatment of arterial, venous and peripheral neuropathy/diabetic ulcers.

This educational activity is designed for the Registered Nurse who practices at the bedside or in an administrative position across the continuum of care. In light of the focus on prevention of pressure ulcers, this program stresses the importance of identifying the problem associated with pressure ulcer occurrence and how to optimize outcomes. Identify ways to prepare your staff to function efficiently on the day of your audit. Answer questions and clarify misconceptions surrounding data anal...

Upon completion of this activity, you will be able to: * list the communicable diseases and define the regulatory authority under which allogeneic blood donations must be tested. * list the communicable diseases and define the regulatory authority under which autologous blood donations must be tested. * define the risk versus benefit of storing and transfusing autologous blood that is known to be reactive/confirmed positive for a communicable disease test. * define the risk versus...

Upon completion of this course, you will be able to: * Discuss how the physiological differences in the phases of cardiac arrest drive the appropriate treatments for each phase. * Use the principles of patient assessment to guide treatment decisions. * Describe the appropriate care of a patient in a pulseless arrest. * Relate factors to consider when evaluating a patient with an arrhythmia. * Justify the emphasis on rapid evaluation and treatment of a patient with acute coronary syndrom...

Description According to National Institutes of Health, most heart attacks are caused by a blood clot that blocks one of the coronary arteries. The coronary arteries bring blood and oxygen to the heart. If the blood flow is blocked, the heart starves for oxygen and heart cells die. Objectives Upon completion of this educational acitivity the participant will be able to: 1.) Review the pathophysiology responsible for ACS. 2.)Reveiw the current ACC/AHA guidelines for the management of patie...

A complete skin assessment and accurate documentation of the assessment findings are critical elements of the nurse's role in patient care. Nursing staff must be able to perform a thorough head-to-toe skin assessment and accurately document their findings. In order to do this, nurses should have a working knowledge of the general characteristics of the skin, its functions, and the changes that occur in the skin throughout an individual's life span. Identifying patients at risk for pressure ...

At the completion of this activity, the participant will be able to: 1.Define areas in the assessment of geriatric patients where pharmacists can make significant impact; 2.Review physical assessment techniques that pharmacists can adopt in their patient interactions/assessments; 3.Review the appropriate techniques employed in physical assessment, such as blood pressure measurement, to assure that the most accurate data is obtained.

After reading this article, the physician should be able to: * List the indications for and contraindications to noninvasive positive pressure ventilation (NIPPV) in the emergency department. * List several disease processes for which NIPPV use is recommended. * Describe steps to increase patient comfort while using NIPPV.

This six-video program is designed to improve the diagnosis, management and treatment of hypertension in both the general population and among those who have resistant hypertension. The presentations involve faculty speakers who discuss an individual topic. There are no fees for participating and receiving CME credit for this activity.

Karthik Ranganna, MD, is an assistant professor of medicine at Drexel University College of medicine, and a staff nephrologist at Hahnemann University Hospital in Philadelphia. Alan B. Schwartz, MD, is a professor of medicine in the division of nephrology and hypertension at Drexel University College of Medicine where he is also director of continuing medical education. Here, they define tubulointerstitial disease, discuss the clinical features and the etiologic causes of both acute and chr...

Target Audience This activity is intended for office/community-based cardiologists and primary care physicians in states with high numbers of stroke- and heart disease-related deaths. Other health care professionals, including nurse practitioners and physician assistants, may also participate. Program Overview This activity addresses the complex challenges faced by primary care providers in areas of hypertension treatment, as well as co-morbid conditions that make the treatment of h...

This course is offered as a continuing education experience for dental assistants who work in dental or oral surgery offices in the State of Illinois where sedation or general anesthesia is administered. It is scheduled for the Wednesdays and Thursdays of June 27 and 28, and October 10 and 11, 2012, at the University of Illinois at Chicago College of Dentistry, 801 S. Paulina St., Chicago, IL.The course is designed to meet the requirements of and the rules administering the Illinois Dental Pra...

The purpose of this self-learning packet is to educate patient care providers on the basic principles of acid-base balance, as well as to provide a systematic approach to the interpretation of arterial blood gases.

There has been an increase in childhood obesity in the United States in the last 2 decades. This rise has resulted in an increase in type 2 diabetes mellitus in children (mostly teens). Pediatricians need to be able to evaluate and treat obese children. This includes evaluation and treatment of uncomplicated type 2 diabetes and its associated co-morbidities. The goal of this module is to increase your comfort in assessing and managing a child with type 2 diabetes and related co-morbidities ...

Learning Objectives: Upon successful completion of this activity, pharmacists should be able to: 1. Proficiently obtain accurate vital signs. 2. Correctly document results 3. Provide accurate information to patients upon completion of vitals assessments. 4. Avoid common errors made while performing a vitals assessment. 5. Integrate experiential student pharmacists to develop and implement health screenings.

This course reviews the case of a 54-year-old gentleman who has full Metabolic Syndrome (i.e., impaired fasting glucose, pre-hypertension, low HDL, high triglycerides, and abdominal obesity). At his first visit to you this patient, who is new to town, will voice concern about his elevated blood glucose as well as his poor eating behavior and pattern. Through the course of seven questions, you will learn how to counsel this patient about nutrition and behavior management using evidence based...

The purpose of this program is to inform nurses about fluid resuscitation of patients in hypovolemic shock caused by blood loss. After studying the information presented here, you will be able to - - Identify the stages of hypovolemic shock. - Describe the clinical manifestations of hypovolemic shock. - Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of fluids used to treat hypovolemic shock.

After reading this article, the learner should be able to: * recognize that there is considerable variability in perioperative red cell transfusion in isolated coronary artery bypass grafting * become aware that red cell transfusion in cardiac surgery has been associated with increased risk for complications postoperatively * realize that tolerance for "permissive anemia" is a cornerstone of perioperative blood conservation in cardiac surgery * understand that implementation of...

This activity addresses selected data on the evaluation and management of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) presented at the American College of Chest Physicians 2011 Annual Meeting (CHEST 2011). Upon completion of this activity, participants should be better able to: * Evaluate the impact of emerging data on the management of PAH on current consensus treatment guidelines * Discuss the potential clinical implications of novel therapies for the management of PAH

Every hospital that received Medicare and Medicaid reimbursement should be aware that CMS amended several important sections to the hospital conditions of participation (CoP) manual including clarifications to the section on nursing requirements related to blood transfusions, IVs, and intravenous medication.Training requirements for nurses and other personnel who administer blood transfusions and intravenous medications will be discussed. Also reviewed will be the changes relating to immediat...

Among the many choices in antihypertensive therapy are those aimed at inhibiting or blocking the renin-angiotensin system (RAS). A systematic review of 110 clinical studies published between 1988 and December 2010 sought to determine the comparative effectiveness, benefits, and adverse effects of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEIs), angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARBs), and direct renin inhibitors (DRIs) for adults with hypertension. The report does not review studies comparing...

Nursing home patients today are older, sicker, and more frail than ever before. Multiple chronic conditions, reduced mobility and cognition put them at risk for polypharmacy, falls, malnutrition, and pressure ulcers. Primary care physicians not based in the nursing home have the disadvantage of practicing remote medicine. If end-of-life wishes have not been discussed, patients are at increased risk for aggressive and futile care in the final weeks and months of life. These situations create ...

Anemia represents a common problem encountered in daily clinical practice world wide. Hence, a structured approach to evaluating anemia is highly relevant in primary care. Multi-channel automated analyzers have revolutionized the work of performing complete blood counts (CBCs). However, when interpreting results, clinicians must be aware of limitations encountered with these technologies, which can yield spurious red blood cell (RBC) values in certain clinical circumstances. Automated analyzer...

Presents major types of stroke and risk factors. Provides a review of brain anatomy and deficits associated with various types of stroke and describes treatment regimens, prehospital, and ED treatment. Rehabilitation following acute stroke is discussed in detail. Recent advances in stroke management are tied to clinical practice. When you finish this course, you will be able to: *Distinguish among the main classifications of stroke. *Explain the major risk factors for stroke and its pat...