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Self care in patients with chronic heart failure
Barbara Riegel1, Christopher S Lee, Victoria Vaughan Dickson
1School of Nursing, University of Pennsylvania, 418 Curie Boulevard, Philadelphia, PA 19104-4217, USA. briegel@ nursing.upenn.edu
Nature Reviews. Cardiology
|July 20, 2011
Summary
Patients with chronic heart failure can be classified by their self-care behaviors. Effective heart failure self care is linked to better health outcomes, including fewer hospitalizations.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Behavioral Science
- Public Health
Background:
- Heart failure self care involves patient practices and decisions for managing health and symptoms.
- Patient self-care in chronic heart failure is categorized into expert, inconsistent, and novice behaviors.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review factors influencing heart failure self care and its outcomes.
- To contextualize the review using patient classifications (expert, inconsistent, novice).
Main Methods:
- Literature review of factors predicting heart failure self care.
- Analysis of existing evidence on the link between self care and health outcomes.
Main Results:
- Key factors influencing self care include illness experience, physical functioning, mental health (depression, anxiety), social support, sleepiness, and confidence.
- Limited but emerging evidence suggests adequate self care improves health status and reduces hospitalizations.
- Early findings indicate self care is associated with decreased stress/inflammation biomarkers and improved intrathoracic impedance.
Conclusions:
- Understanding patient self-care behaviors is crucial for managing chronic heart failure.
- Further research is needed on comorbidities, sex differences, and health disparities in heart failure self care.
- Self care has significant implications for clinical practice, health policy, and public health initiatives.
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