| dc.description.abstract | Abstract:
Introduction: Cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of death in the world and in Iran. These patients suffer from numerous sexual problems. Physiological symptoms in these patients as well as psychological problems can decrease the quality of life of these patients. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between sexual problems and quality of life in patients with coronary artery disease.
Methodology: In a descriptive-correlation study, sexual function and quality of life of patients with coronary artery disease were investigated in 253 patients (151 male and 102 female). Data were collected at the heart clinic of Tabriz Shahid Madani Hospital in the first six months of 2018. Participants were entered into the study by convenience sampling method and based on inclusion criteria. Demographic and disease-related and treatment-related data were prepared using a demographic questionnaire.sexual function data were obtained in men with MSHQ-Men Sexual Health Questionnaire and in women with the Standard Sexual Functioning نمایه (FSFI). Quality of life data also with MacNew Heart Disease-specific Quality of Life Questionnaire and were collected by interview. Data were analyzed by SPSS software version 21 at a significance level less than 0.05.
Findings: In this study, from a total of 253 patients, 59.68% were male and the rest were women whose mean age was 51.99 ± 6.65 and the mean of number of children was 3.26± 1.14.The level of literacy of the majority of patients and their spouses was in elementary level. 32.4% of patients has reported the history of cigarette smoking. For 86.6% of patients’ monthly income was less than expenses. The mean of daily physical activity was 21.94 ± 8.43 minutes. According to men's sexual function questionnaire, the total score of sexual function was 53.46 ±. 90. ejaculation dimension(3.46±.93) score was higher than other dimensions. The total score of female sexual function was 24.42±4.43.Women had the highest score for sexual pain(5.55±.57) and the lowest score for sexual desire(2.83±1.09). According to the total score of 74.4 in questionnaire, women had poor sexual function.The total mean of quality of life was 4.26 ± 0.96 and the highest score was related to emotional dimension with a mean of (4.41 ± 1.03) and the lowest score was related to physical dimension with a mean of (4.08 ± 0.95) and social dimension had a mean of (4.30 ± 0.93). The mean of total score of quality of life was 3.76±.70 in women and 4.68±.90 in men and there was a significant difference between the two sexes, so the men had better quality of life than the women (P <.001).
There was a significant and direct correlation between total score and total score of all dimensions of quality of life in male and female sexual function questionnaire. So, the quality of life scores of men and women also increased with increasing sexual function scores (P <0.001).
Of the total women, 27 percent had no sexual function in the past month. The quality of life in female patients who had sexual function in the previous month was more than female patients who did not have sexual function in the previous month (P <0.001).
there is a significant relationship between individual and social factors of the participants and their HRQL, so that patients with higher education had a better HRQL than the rest of the groups (P <.001). HRQL was better in people with higher education and university education than the rest of the group (P <.001). People with academic occupations had a better HRQL than the rest of the group (P <.001). People who had previously smoked had a better HRQL than other groups (P <.001). The people who had equal income and expenses had better HRQL compared to others (P <.001). However, with increasing exercise time, HRQL in participants increases, but this was not significant (r =.12, P =.055).
The relationship between the factors related to disease and the treatment of participants with their HRQL shows that people without hypertension and arthritis had better HRQL than others (P <0.001). Regarding the use of drugs, people with a history of taking Plavix and diuretics had a lower HRQL than others (P <0.001). Patients with PTCA intervention significantly had better HRQL (P = 0.006). There was a reverse relationship between age and HRQL, in other words, HRQL decreased with increase of age (r = -0.19, P =.002). By decreasing the heart ejection fraction, the HRQL showed a significant decrease (r = 0.301, P <.001).
In terms of cardiac symptoms during the day, patients experiencing cardiac palpitations and dyspnea had lower HRQL (P <0.001). Fatigue (P = 0.009), anxiety (P = 0.029) and powerlessness (P = 0.029) also reduced HRQL. Among the symptoms experienced during the night, dyspnea significantly has reduced the HRQL in participants (P <0.001).
Conclusion: Sexual function in these patients, especially in female patients, is severely affected. Also the quality of life in cardiovascular patients has decreased. This reduction was more in physical dimension. Likewise, the quality of life has decreased with age increasing, so more attention should be paid to the elderly patients. Women had lower quality of life than men. Also variables such as educational level of patient and spouse, their occupation, and economic status, history of smoking and experienced cardiac symptoms have affected the quality of life of patients. The sexual function of these patients is directly related to their quality of life. Therefore, health care providers should pay more attention to these patients' sexual issues and consult with coronary artery disease patients. | en_US |
