Notes Page for CHF Case Study and ZOE

Footnote 1
The 2008 update from The American Heart Association?s Heart Disease and Stroke Statistics indicates that patients with Heart Failure will continue to be the most seen diagnosis in home care.

? Hospital discharges for HF rose from 400,000 in 1079 to 1,084,000 in 2005, an increase of 171 percent.
? The estimated direct and indirect cost of HF in the US for 2008 is $34.8 billion.
? About 22 percent of males and 46 percent of female heart attack (MI) victims will be disabled with HF within six years.
? A JAMA study conducted in Minnesota showed the incidence of HF (ICD9/428) has not declined during two decades, but survival after onset has increased overall, with less improvement among women and elderly persons. (return to main article)

Footnote 2 - Zo 101
Zo is "Thoracic Base Impedance," which is simply a measurement of the time it takes a small frequency electric current (painless for the patient) to travel from the top to the bottom of the thorax. Zo is measured in ohms with a normal thoracic Zo range between 19-30 ohms. Since every person has their own baseline Zo value, it’s important to establish an individual baseline for each patient when beginning measurements.

Zo measurements have an inverse relationship:
The more resistance the current meets (the higher the reading) – the "drier" the patient. Less fluid exists in the person’s thoracic cavity and there is a possibility of dehydration.

The less resistance the current meets (the lower the reading) – the "wetter" the patient. More fluid exists in the person’s thoracic cavity, increasing potential for congestion in the lungs and edema.
(return to main article)

Footnote 3 - The ZOE® Fluid Status Monitor
The ZOE® Fluid Status Monitor measures Zo, or thoracic base impedance (TBI). It is a transportable thoracic bioimpedance monitor that measures fluid status and is an assessment tool; it is not intended to be a medical diagnostic device. The ZOE® Monitor can be use with children and adults in clinical or home settings.(return to main article)

Footnote 4
Lasater M., Von Reuden KT. Outpatient cardiovascular management utilizing impedance ardiography.
AACN Clinical Issues. 14 (2): 240-250, 2003. (return to main article)