ENHANCING QUALITY OF LIFE AND SELF-CARE MANAGEMENT IN HEART FAILURE PATIENTS THROUGH KNOWLEDGE ASSESSMENT AND COUNSELLING: A QUESTIONNAIRE BASED STUDY

Dr. Fatima Khatoon*, Dr. Syed Mohammed Kazim, Dr. M. A. Aleem, Dr. Nabeela Fatima, Syeda Qudsiya Fatima, Syeda Sara Fatima, Syeda Tayyaba Masood.

ABSTRACT

Background: Cardiac failure, a complex cardiovascular syndrome, challenges healthcare professionals globally. Management strategies encompass pharmacological interventions, lifestyle modifications, and cutting-edge device therapies. The manuscript concludes by addressing challenges in cardiac failure management, highlighting emerging therapies, and emphasizing a multidimensional approach. This comprehensive exploration aims to enhance our understanding of cardiac failure for improved patient outcomes and informs contemporary medical practices.
Objectives: The main objectives include
● To figure out the left ventricular ejection fraction.
● Using the Dutch HF knowledge scale, ascertain the patient's degree of understanding regarding heart failure.
● The EHFScBs, or European Heart Failure Self-Care Behaviour Scale, will be utilized to evaluate the patient's degree of self-care management behaviour about heart failure.
● Patients will also get counselling regarding self-care management with the goal of improving their knowledge and behaviours. Results: The majority of students were males followed by female patients. The greater part of the patients was under 51 to 60 years age. Patients hailed primarily from the rural area, followed by urban area. Educational status was assessed and was discovered that 24.3 % of the patients are illiterates. Among the study population, multiple symptoms were observed on admission. Shortness of breath is the foremost clinical manifestation noticed followed by leg swelling, chest pain, fatigue, cough, pallor. Ejection fraction of the left ventricle is evaluated, and it was identified that fewer than 50% was seen in 41 patients and more than 50 % was seen in 29 patients. The study's findings suggest that most patients have very little knowledge about heart failure. Conclusion: To conclude the results of the present investigation enable the following inferences to be made: Thus, many patients with heart failure lacked sufficient knowledge about heart failure. They were also failing to take proper care of their heart failure. Preventing heart failure progression and all-cause hospitalizations is a major concern, and increasing self-care among people with HF through extensive therapies can help achieve this goal.

Keywords: .