The impact of gastrointestinal symptoms on health status in patients with cardiovascular disease.
BACKGROUND
Drugs for the management of cardiovascular disease may provoke gastrointestinal discomfort and complications.


OBJECTIVE
To evaluate whether upper gastrointestinal symptoms affect the health status of patients with cardiovascular disease.


METHODS
Two weeks after discharge, 958 consecutive patients, who had been admitted to the Coronary Care Unit of the University Hospital Nijmegen between January and September 2001, were sent a questionnaire for the evaluation of gastrointestinal symptoms and health status.


RESULTS
The questionnaire was returned by 632 patients (66%), with 334 patients (53%) reporting gastrointestinal symptoms. The self-rated health status (mean and 95% confidence interval), evaluated by visual analogue scale, was 70 (68-72) for patients without and 61 (59-63) for patients with gastrointestinal symptoms (P = 0.001). Patients with gastrointestinal symptoms reported significantly higher rates of problems with mobility (50% vs. 37%), self-care (19% vs. 10%), usual activities (70% vs. 52%), pain/discomfort (96% vs. 38%) and anxiety/depression (41% vs. 20%) when compared with those without gastrointestinal symptoms.


CONCLUSIONS
Upper gastrointestinal symptoms strongly impaired the health status of patients with cardiovascular disease.
Laheij
R J F
RJ
Department of Gastroenterology, University Medical Center Nijmegen, The Netherlands. R.Laheij@mdl.umcn.nl
Van Rossum
L G M
LG
Krabbe
P F M
PF
Jansen
J B M J
JB
Verheugt
F W A
FW
D000368:Aged; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000209:etiology; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000150:complications* / Q000523:psychology; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D005767:Gastrointestinal Diseases / Q000150:complications* / Q000523:psychology; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010146:Pain / Q000209:etiology; D012649:Self Concept; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires