title: Cardiovascular patients' experiences of living with pacemaker: Qualitative study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  A pacemaker implantation is considered major life event for cardiovascular patients, so they will probably have very interesting experiences of living with this device. The aim of this study was to explore the experiences of cardiovascular patients living with the pacemaker.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this qualitative study, 27 patients were chosen through purposive sampling to achieve data saturation, and their experiences were examined using semi-structured interviews. The patients' statements were recorded with their consent and analyzed using content analysis method.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Participants' experiences included three main themes: "Problems and limitations," "feeling and dealing with pacemaker", and "sources of comfort" and 10 sub-themes including: physical problems, financial problems, social problems, the first encounter, the feeling of living with the pacemaker, how to cope with pacemaker, satisfaction with pacemaker, good family support, hospital and hospital staff performance, and role of religious beliefs.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Planning to solve social problems, identifying and changing feelings of patients using pacemakers, reinforcing the resources of comfort especially family support seem to be necessary steps for improving quality of life and impact of using pacemaker.
authors.affiliation: Associate Professor, Liver and Gastrointestinal Disease Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.
authors.forename: Morteza
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ghojazadeh
authors.affiliation: PhD Candidate, Health Management and Economics Research Center, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Saber
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Azami-Aghdash
authors.affiliation: Students' Research Committee, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.
authors.forename: Zahra
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Sohrab-Navi
authors.affiliation: Students' Research Committee, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.
authors.forename: Kasra
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kolahdouzan
keywords: Cardio-Vascular Disease; Experiences; Pacemaker