Quality of life in patients with atrial fibrillation

Abstract

November l Nursing2020CriticalCare l 7 Changes in disease patterns that have led to a decrease in infectious diseases and an increase in life expectancy in patients with chronic diseases have refocused the public’s attention on new health concepts in recent decades.1 Scholars have stated that the focus of healthcare in the present century is improving quality of life and health for patients.2 In recent years, interest in evaluating and improving the quality of life of patients with chronic diseases has grown. The results of clinical trials have shown that quality of life can be considered an indicator of healthcare, providing more information about the health status of patients.3 In general, reducing the attenuation and disability ratio in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) has been the focus of treatment. Few studies have been conducted on the impact of the disease and its treatments on health-related quality of life.4 AF is a type of supraventricular dysrhythmia and the most common cardiac dysrhythmia. The dysrhythmia affects more than 1% of adults, and prevalence increases with age; it occurs in 9% of people over age 80.5,6 By 2050, the rate of AF is predicted to be 2.5 times higher than present.7 AF can cause adverse reactions such as hemodynamic instability, venous thromboembolism, increased postoperative stroke, and increased hospitalization or recovery time.8,9 Although not generally a lifethreatening disorder, AF causes gradual disruption of patients’ quality of life.10 AF causes signs and symptoms including palpitations, shortness of breath, and fatigue. Therefore, the quality of life in patients with AF is Abstract: Atrial fibrillation (AF) is one of the most common cardiac dysrhythmias. This study aimed to determine the quality of life of patients with AF referred to the Al Zahra Heart Hospital in Shiraz, Iran. The authors used an AF-specific questionnaire to measure patients’ responses regarding three specific dimensions of these patients’ quality of life.