Susie Cartledge

• BN (Hons), PhD
• Senior Researcher at Flinders University

OBJECTIVES: We sought to describe the indications for vasoactive medication administration, hemodynamic treatment targets, and specific agents used by various international emergency medical service (EMS) providers. DESIGN AND SETTING: In March 2022, we sent an online survey comprising of 20 questions to Medical Directors of EMSs across Australia,...

Aims Cardiac exercise telerehabilitation is effective and can be cost-effective for managing ischaemic heart disease, but implementation of evidence-based interventions in clinical practice remains a challenge. We aimed to identify factors that cardiac rehabilitation stakeholders perceived could influence the effectiveness of implementing an eviden...

Background Coronary heart disease (CHD) is the leading cause of deaths and disability worldwide. Cardiac rehabilitation (CR) effectively reduces the risk of future cardiac events and is strongly recommended in international clinical guidelines. However, CR program quality is highly variable with divergent data systems, which, when combined, potenti...

Background and Aims Cardiac rehabilitation (CR) is traditionally delivered in-person, however, the COVID-19 pandemic provided impetus for alternate offerings such as telehealth. We investigated uptake, barriers, and enablers in a national survey during the pandemic in Australia. Methods We surveyed CR programs between April-June 2021 using profess...

Background Lack of service data for cardiac rehabilitation limits understanding of program delivery, benchmarking and quality improvement. This study aimed to describe current practices, management, utilisation and engagement with quality indicators in Australian programs. Method Cardiac rehabilitation programs (n=396) were identified from nationa...

Aim: To describe the Heart Matters (HM) trial which aims to evaluate the effectiveness of a community heart attack education intervention in high-risk areas in Victoria, Australia. These local government areas (LGAs) have high rates of acute coronary syndrome (ACS), out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA), cardiovascular risk factors, and low rates...

Background: The National Heart Foundation of Australia's (NHFA) Warning Signs campaign ran between 2010 and 2013. This study examines trends in Australian adults' ability to name heart attack symptoms during the campaign and in the years following. Methods: Using the NHFA's HeartWatch data (quarterly online surveys) for adults aged 30-59 years,...

In a rapidly changing health and care landscape, there is acknowledgement that the organisation of care should be integrated with the patient placed at the centre. In reality, care systems are often fragmented, disjointed and focused on the condition rather than the patient. The Science Committee of the Association of Cardiovascular Nursing and All...

Methods and results: Semi-structured interviews (n = 8) and focus groups (n = 7) were conducted with 27 cardiac and pulmonary clinicians and managers from health services across Queensland between June-August 2021. Interview questions were guided by Greenhalgh's Non-adoption, Abandonment, Scale-up, Spread, and Sustainability framework. Hybrid indu...

Purpose of Review Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of mortality and morbidity worldwide for both men and women. However, CVD is understudied, underdiagnosed, and undertreated in women. This bias has resulted in women being disproportionately affected by CVD when compared to men. The aim of this narrative review is to explore the co...

Wearable cameras offer an innovative way to discover new insights into the lived experience of people with cardiovascular conditions. Wearable cameras can be used alone or supplement more traditional research methods, such as interviews and participant observations. This paper provides an overview of the benefits of using wearable cameras for data...

Background Following percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), outpatient cardiac rehabilitation (CR) is essential for secondary prevention. However uptake of CR is suboptimal, despite strong evidence demonstrating benefits. The aim of this study was to identify contemporary trends and predictors of CR referral of PCI patients in Victoria. Methods...

Objective The current study was informed by the belief basis of Ajzen’s (1991) Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) to identify the important behavioral (advantages and disadvantages), normative (important referents) and control (barriers and facilitators) beliefs associated with the key recommended prevention and management behaviors for adults in Ira...

Background: The novel coronavirus disease of 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic significantly disrupted health care, especially outpatient services such as cardiac rehabilitation (CR). We investigated the impact of early COVID-19 waves on the delivery of Australian CR programs, comparing this time period with usual practice prior to the pandemic (2019) and...

Aims Delivery of cardiac rehabilitation (CR) was challenged during the pandemic caused by the Coronavirus disease (COVID-19), due to government stay-at-home directives which restricted in-person programmes. The Australian state of Victoria experienced the longest and most severe COVID-19 restrictions and was in lockdown for ∼6 months of 2020. We ai...

Aim Cardiac arrest (CA) survival has diverse psychosocial outcomes for both survivors and their close family, with little known regarding long-term adjustment and recovery experiences. We explored the psychological adjustment and experiential perspectives of survivors and families in the second year after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA). Met...

Background/Aims Research has shown that health literacy can influence an individual's ability to practise self-care, particularly for patients with heart failure. This study aimed to assess health literacy and its relationship with heart failure knowledge and self-care practices in this patient group. Methods An observational sub-study was conduct...

Background Diet and physical activity are recommended for diabetes management. Evidence suggests theory‐based interventions are more efficacious than non‐theory approaches. This study aimed to test the short‐term effectiveness of an integrated theoretical model‐based intervention to encourage compliance for low‐fat food consumption, carbohydrate co...

BACKGROUND Heart failure (HF) decompensation is a major driver of hospitalisations and represents a significant burden to the health care system. Identifying those at greatest risk of admission can allow for targeted interventions to reduce this risk. OBJECTIVE To compare the predictive value of objective and subjective HF symptoms on imminent HF...

Background Heart failure decompensation is a major driver of hospitalizations and represents a significant burden to the health care system. Identifying those at greatest risk of admission can allow for targeted interventions to reduce this risk. Objective This paper aims to compare the predictive value of objective and subjective heart failure re...

Aim Targeted temperature management (TTM) in post-resuscitation care has changed dramatically over the last two decades. However, uptake across Australian and New Zealand (NZ) intensive care units (ICUs) is unclear. We aimed to describe post-resuscitation care in our region, with a focus on TTM, and to gain insights into clinician’s opinions about...

Objective We aimed to provide the first national estimates of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) training and awareness of cardiac arrest. Design A retrospective analysis of a national cross-sectional survey was undertaken. Data were collected online from adults in July 2017 as part of the Heart Foundation of Australia’s HeartWatch survey. We use...

Objective To develop standardised programme content for Australian phase II cardiac rehabilitation (CR) programme. Design Using the RAND/UCLA appropriateness method (RAM), a two-phase process including a comprehensive literature review and a two round modified Delphi process was undertaken to develop and validate content of a standardised CR progr...

Objective: The Victorian Emergency Minimum Dataset (VEMD) collects administrative and clinical data for all presentations to Victorian public ED. The present study aimed to examine the level of agreement between the VEMD data and the medical record for a sample of patients coded as having acute cardiovascular conditions (acute coronary syndrome, s...

Background: Blood pressure (BP) is an important modifiable cardiovascular risk factor, yet its long-term monitoring remains problematic. Wearable cuffless devices enable the capture of multiple BP measures during everyday activities and could improve BP monitoring, but little is known about their validity or acceptability. Objective: This study...

Introduction For people with heart failure (HF), self-management (e.g., adhering to prescribed medication, management of fluid restrictions and daily weighing) and dietary management is critical for disease management. The rise of technologies (mobile phones, wearable cameras) for healthcare use offers potential support for people to better manage...

BACKGROUND Blood pressure (BP) is an important modifiable cardiovascular risk factor yet its long-term monitoring remains problematic. Wearable cuffless devices enable the capture of multiple BP measures during everyday activities and could improve BP monitoring, but little is known about their validity or acceptability. OBJECTIVE This study aimed...

Background and Purpose— The Australian Stroke Foundation ran annual paid advertising between 2004 and 2014, using the FAST (Face, Arm, Speech, Time) campaign from 2006 and adding the message to call emergency medical services in 2007. In this study, we examined temporal trends in emergency medical services use and referrals from general practitione...

Introduction: Outpatient cardiac rehabilitation programs provide an ideal environment to deliver targeted cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) training to cardiac patients and their family members. However, the prevalence of CPR training in Australian programs is low (24%). This study sought to identify the best strategy to implement CPR training in...

Background Heart disease significantly increases the risk of further cardiac events including out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA). Given the majority of OHCAs occur in the home, family members of those with heart disease should be trained in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). Aim To describe CPR training rates in households with heart disease,...

Introduction: Understanding regional variation in bystander cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is important to improving out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) survival. In this study we aimed to identify barriers to providing bystander CPR in regions with low rates of bystander CPR and where OHCA was recognised in the emergency call. Methods: W...

Background: Self-management is a critical component of chronic disease management and can include a host of activities, such as adhering to prescribed medications, undertaking daily care activities, managing dietary intake and body weight, and proactively contacting medical practitioners. The rise of technologies (mobile phones, wearable cameras)...

BACKGROUND Self-management is a critical component of chronic disease management and can include a host of activities, such as adhering to prescribed medications, undertaking daily care activities, managing dietary intake and body weight, and proactively contacting medical practitioners. The rise of technologies (mobile phones, wearable cameras) fo...

Aim: To gain a comprehensive perspective about the experience of patient and spousal education following an acute cardiac event. The second objective was to elicit an understanding of patient and spousal attitudes, preferences and intentions towards future cardiopulmonary resuscitation training. Background: Patients with cardiovascular disease r...

Background Residential aged care facilities are common locations for out-of-hospital cardiac arrests to occur, yet survival to hospital discharge is poor. Aim This study aims to examine preferences and perceived outcomes of cardiopulmonary resuscitation among Australians receiving aged care. Methods A brief survey was provided to 187 residential...

Background: Patients with a cardiac history are at future risk of cardiac events, including out-of-hospital cardiac arrest. Targeting cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) training to family members of cardiac patients has long been advocated, but is an area in need of contemporary research evidence. An environment yet to be investigated for targete...

Purpose of review: Advances in technology coupled with increased penetration of mobile phones and smart devices are rapidly changing healthcare delivery. Mobile phone applications ('apps'), text messages, and Internet platforms used alone or in combination are now providing interventions targeting people with multiple cardiovascular risk factors....

Background Bystander cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) more than doubles the chance of surviving an out‐of‐hospital cardiac arrest. Recent data have shown considerable regional variation in bystander CPR rates across the Australian state of Victoria. This study aims to determine whether there is associated regional variation in rates of CPR train...

Background Emergency medical services (EMS) transport to hospital is recommended in acute coronary syndrome (ACS) guidelines, but only half of patients with ACS currently use EMS. The recent Australian Warning Signs campaign conducted by the Heart Foundation addressed some of the known barriers against using EMS. Our aim was to examine the influenc...

Objectives: To provide contemporary Australian data on the public's training in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and awareness of hands-only CPR. Methods: A cross-sectional telephone survey in April 2016 of adult residents of the Australian state of Victoria was conducted. Primary outcomes were rates of CPR training and awareness of hands-onl...

Background Cardiac rehabilitation may provide an ideal environment to train high-risk cardiac patients and their families in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). However, whether this training is currently offered is unknown. The aims of this study were to: 1) describe the prevalence of CPR training in cardiac rehabilitation programs in Australia a...

Aim: Targeting basic life support (BLS) training to bystanders who are most likely to witness an out of hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) is an important public health intervention. We performed a systematic review examining the evidence of the effectiveness of providing BLS training to family members of high-risk cardiac patients. Methods: A searc...

Background: Cardiac rehabilitation may provide an ideal environment to train high-risk cardiac patients and their families in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). However, whether this training is currently offered is unknown. The aims of this study were to: 1) describe the prevalence of CPR training in cardiac rehabilitation programs in Australia...

The aim of this study was to examine the awareness of a recent mass media campaign, and its influence on knowledge and prehospital times, in a cohort of acute coronary syndrome (ACS) patients admitted to an Australian hospital. We conducted 199 semistructured interviews with consecutive ACS patients who were aged 35 to 75 years, competent to provid...