Dyspnea is a symptom that is growing in incidence, as respiratory and heart diseases are becoming more frequent. Patients suffering from dyspnea have a significant disabling due to chronic refractory dyspnea and crisis of irruptive dyspnea. Although there are several tools that may produce an improvement of symptom intensity, they are underused.
We sought to investigate whether if teaching interventions specifically addressed to medical staff improve the well-being of dyspneic patients. The MAIN GOAL of this study is to evaluate the effect of two talks (conveyed to doctors and nurses of Cardiology and Respiratory Medicine Departments) on the patient-perceived dyspnea. The contents of these talks will be prepared and supervised by Palliative Care specialists. This is a four-staged study that includes a first observational phase (prevalence study of dyspnea) followed by intervention and a third phase that will determine the effect of this teaching intervention. The fourth phase consists in the elaboration of specific protocols for management of dyspnea. A pharmacovigilance study of opioids will also take place.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
NON_RANDOMIZED
Purpose
SUPPORTIVE_CARE
Masking
NONE
Enrollment
100
Two teaching talks specifically addressed to medical staff which concerns the adequate treatment and needs of dyspneic patients, including pharmacological and non-pharmacological treatment.
Gregorio Marañon University Hospital
Madrid, Madrid, Spain
RECRUITINGDecrease the number of patients with advanced heart or chronic respiratory diseases who present chronic refractory dyspnea or irruptive dyspnea and do not receive adequate treatment.
Decrease the number of patients admitted to Cardiology or Respiratory Medicine departments who present chronic respiratory dyspnea or irruptive dyspnea.
Time frame: One month
Detect the prevalence of dyspnea in patients admitted to our hospital.
Number of patients.
Time frame: One month
Describe the therapeutic tools (pharmacological and no pharmacological) employed for symptomatic treatment of dyspnea.
Frequency of methods usage for dyspnea relief.
Time frame: One month
Evaluate the impact on dyspnea intensity associated with an implementation of educational talks addressed to medical staff in the management of dyspnea.
Numerical Rating Scale score.
Time frame: One year
Number of patients that continue chronic treatment with opioids for chronic refractory dyspnea and irruptive dyspnea.
Number of patients that receive opioid treatment at three months of inclusion
Time frame: Three months
Determine the intensity and functional impact of dyspnea in patients admitted to our hospital.
Dyspnea intensity by Numerical Rating Scale score
Time frame: One month
Determine the efficacy derived from a chronic treatment with opioids for chronic refractory dyspnea and irruptive dyspnea.
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Dyspnea intensity by Numerical Rating Scale score
Time frame: Three months
Determine the number of patients that present side effects derived from a chronic opioid treatment that require lowering dose or stopping treatment.
Number of patients that present side effects
Time frame: Three months
Determine whether a specific educational talk would be affordable for dyspnea management
Costs in euros invested in medical staff training
Time frame: One month