[Sleep quality in aged patients with peripheral vascular diseases]

Peripheral vascular diseases (PVD) are prevalent among the elderly, and, due to their chronic character, result in poor quality of life and poor sleep quality. This study aimed at evaluating sleep quality of elderly people diagnosed with PVD who undergo clinical ambulatory treatment in a university hospital in Campinas, in the State of São Paulo. Subjects (n=50, aged 74 +/- 8 years old) answered the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and provided basic demographic data and PVD history (35 subjects had arterial blockage in lower limbs). Results showed that 34 subjects presented bad sleep quality; sleep length was 5.8 (+/- 2.3) hours, and, according to 23 subjects, night sleep was frequently disturbed by pain (thrice a week or more). Eighteen subjects took analgesics; four took sleep medicines. Findings may have important implications for nurses working with PVD patients, stressing the need to take into account consequences of PVD on sleep disturbances when planning their interventions.