Health-related quality of life in elderly patients with heart failure.
OBJECTIVE
To assess health-related quality of life (HRQL) in elderly patients with congestive heart failure (CHF) and correlate these to clinical and demographic variables.


METHODS
HRQL was evaluated in 191 patients with CHF, aged 65-84 years, using a self-administered questionnaire including the Nottingham Health Profile (NHP), Quality of Life Questionnaire in Heart Failure and Patients' Global Self-Assessment.


RESULTS
HRQL was more impaired in women than to men (p < 0.05), New York Heart Association functional class correlated to HRQL (p < 0.01) and HRQL, as assessed by NHP, was impaired in CHF patients compared to a previously evaluated, age and sex matched, normal reference population.


CONCLUSIONS
Measurement of HRQL in heart failure patients provides important information in addition to a clinical evaluation, and inclusion of HRQL assessments in clinical practice is feasible and warranted. Specific intervention should be aimed at improving HRQL in those most severely affected.
Cline
C M
CM
Department of Cardiology, Malmö University Hospital, Lund University Malmö, Sweden. charles.cline@medforsk.mas.lu.se]
Willenheimer
R B
RB
Erhardt
L R
LR
Wiklund
I
I
Israelsson
B Y
BY
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D015577:Geriatric Assessment; D006304:Health Status; D006333:Heart Failure; D006801:Humans; D008019:Life Style; D008297:Male; D011788:Quality of Life