Assessment of quality of life in patients with cardiac disease: the role of psychosomatic medicine.
OBJECTIVE
The measurement of quality of life has become important in evaluating new treatments of cardiac disease. This review focuses on definition and general concepts underlying quality of life in patients with cardiac disease, the ways in which it is measured, and the uses and limitations of quality-of-life measurement.


METHODS
A Medline search, from 1988 to 1998, was undertaken using the search terms "cardiovascular disease and quality of life" and "cardiovascular disease and health status." Results of clinical trials of cardiovascular therapies using quality-of-life instruments were not reviewed.


RESULTS
Quality of life is defined as "...the functional effect of an illness and its consequent therapy upon a patient, as perceived by the patient." Domains of quality of life include physical, mental, social, and occupational function; health perceptions; and symptoms of disease.


CONCLUSIONS
Psychosomatic medicine contributions to understanding patients' reactions to physical illness and injury may offer enhanced insight into assessment of health perceptions. Generic health profiles and cardiac-disease-specific quality-of-life measures would also be useful in psychosomatic investigations of personality, hostility, depression, and social isolation in patients with cardiac disease.
Swenson
J R
JR
Department of Psychiatry, The Ottawa Hospital (General Campus), 501 Smyth Road, K1H 8L6, Ottawa, ON, Canada. jrswenson@ogh.on.ca
Clinch
J J
JJ
D000368:Aged; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000523:psychology*; D005853:Geriatrics; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D011594:Psychometrics; D011611:Psychosomatic Medicine; D011788:Quality of Life