Supervisors info:
Τούσουλης Δημήτριος, Καθηγητής, Ιατρική, ΕΚΠΑ
Κυριτση Ελένη, Καθηγήτρια, Νοσηλευτική, Πανεπιστήμιο Δυτικής Αττικής
Τούτουζας Κωνσταντίνος, Αναπληρωτής Καθηγητής, Ιατρική, ΕΚΠΑ
Summary:
Introduction: Heart failure (H.F) has a negative impact in the everyday lifestyle of the patients due to fatigue and less mobilization. Studies have shown that exercising contributes to body weight loss, keeping blood pressure under control and the improvement of cardiac function. It also contributes to the removal of malfunctioning mitochondria, increases ATP supply and decreases the production of toxic substances that ruin cellural structure.
Purpose: The purpose of the current research paper is the evaluation of exercise in patients with heart failure.
Research method and material: The material of this study consists of 80 patients with H.F that were admitted in private and public hospital. The evidence was collected with the participants filling of the scale Duke Activity Status Index(DASI).Statistical tastings called t-test and anova were applied and the level of importance was set to <0.05
Results: From the 80 patients with H.F,43 with a percentage of 53,8% were males and 37 with a percentage 46,3% were females, age in the 48,8% less than 64 years old and in the 51,2% 65 years old and older.18,8% had NYXA I, 56,2% NYXA II and 25,0% NYXA III and NYXA IV.90% of the samples study were using anticoagulants, vasodilators, diuretics and angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors. The total score of the DASI scale in the 30% of the sample was 0,score < than 15 gathered the 36,3%, 15-25 gathered the 13,6% and score 26-45 gathered the 20,1% with the highest score in the DASI scale being the 58,2.The lowest total score was gathered in the patients aged more than 65 years old ,p=0,004, unmarried and widowers, p=0,047,people with elementary and secondary education, p=0,015, unemployed and housewives, p=0,002, people with NYXA III and NYXA IV, P<0,001 and people that have been suffering from the condition for more than 7 years, p=0,019
Conclusion: The results of this study have shown that people with H.F in the 66% do not do any kind of exercise or the exercise that they do is very limited. Patients should mainly focus in their will to change their everyday lifestyle. Providing them with advice, educating them and performing a proper nursing assessment for their personal needs and the proper amount of exercise in the patients life, is of the highest importance in maintaining an active lifestyle.
