[Effectiveness of a long-term education program in patients with prosthetic heart valves]

The current study was aimed at assessing the effectiveness and the impact of a long-term education program, in both inpatient and outpatient treatment settings, on adherence to treatment and the quality of life 5 years after heart valve replacement.

All the patients were randomly included into two study groups. The study group patients (n=176) underwent the long-term education program in both inpatient and outpatient treatment settings. The control group (n=108) consisted of patients who underwent only an inpatient education program. Adherence to treatment and the quality of life were assessed before education, at the end of the inpatient and outpatient education and 5 years after heart valve replacement. Patients' treatment adherence was estimated with the Davydov's questionnaire, and the quality of life - with the 36‑Item Short Form Health Survey.

After the completion of the education program, the integral index reflecting patients' adherence to treatment in the study group remained at the same level, but was 1.4‑fold higher compared to the control group in the 5‑year follow-up. The long-term education program is associated with improved quality of life, mainly due to emotional well-being. The study reported a correlation between physical functioning and emotional well-being and the integral index reflecting patients' adherence to treatment during the follow-up period.

The long-term education program in both inpatient and outpatient treatment settings contributed to improved patients' adherence to treatment and the quality of life, mainly due to physical functioning. The inpatient education program was associated with poor patients' adherence to treatment and the quality of life 5 years after heart valve replacement.