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Application of SF-36 Health Status Survey in Patients with Arterial Hypertension
Olga A Germanova1, Yulia Yu Vukolova, Anna Strelnik
1International Centre for Education and Research in Cardiovascular pathology and Cardiovisuslization, Samara State Medical University, 18 Gagarina Street, 443096 Samara, Russia, olga_germ@mail.ru.
Insights
Arterial hypertension with significant coronary artery atherosclerosis predicts worse quality of life (QOL) in male patients. The SF-36 questionnaire effectively assesses QOL, guiding cardiologist-psychotherapist collaboration.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Psychosomatic Medicine
Background:
- Arterial hypertension (AH) significantly impacts patient well-being.
- Assessing quality of life (QOL) is crucial for managing AH patients.
Purpose of the Study:
- To estimate QOL in arterial hypertension patients using the SF-36 Health Status Survey.
- To identify predictors of QOL decline in AH patients.
Main Methods:
- Included 268 AH patients (grades 1-3) and 80 controls.
- Patients categorized by coronary artery stenosis severity (<50% vs. ≥50%).
- Utilized SF-36 Health Status Survey, laboratory tests, ECG, echocardiography, and coronary angiography.
Main Results:
- Patients with ≥50% coronary artery stenosis showed significantly lower physical and mental QOL scores.
- Anxiety and depression were more prevalent in men with AH.
- Improved cholesterol levels and post-angioplasty status correlated with limited physical but high social functioning.
Conclusions:
- Hemodynamically significant coronary atherosclerosis in AH predicts reduced QOL, particularly in men.
- The SF-36 questionnaire is recommended for QOL assessment in cardiovascular patients.
- Integrated care involving cardiologists and psychotherapists optimizes patient management.
Background:
To estimate quality of life (QOL) in patients with arterial hypertension (AH) using SF-36 Health Status Survey.
Subjects And Methods:
We included 268 patients (144 men, 124 women) with grade 1-3 AH (subgroup 1 - with coronary stenosis less than 50% (n=158), subgroup 2 - with coronary artery stenosis of 50% or more (n=110)). In the control group - 80 people (47 men, 33 women) without AH. Laboratory and instrumental methods included total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, triglycerides, glucose, creatinine, electrocardiography, echocardiography, Doppler ultrasound of brachiocephalic arteries, stress echocardiography with physical exercises and coronary angiography. For QOL evaluation we used SF-36 Health Status Survey.
Results:
According to the results of the SF-36 Health Status Survey, when assessing physical (PH) and mental (MH) among the groups, there was a significant decrease in summary points in patients of subgroup 2, in whom, according to coronary angiography, it was revealed stenosis of the carotid arteries 50% and more. Anxiety and depression predominated in men. Patients with corrected cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol levels, as well as after coronary angioplasty, were assessed for QOL with limited physical activity, but with high social functioning.
Conclusions:
AH, especially with hemodynamically significant atherosclerosis of the coronary arteries are the predictors for QOL worsening in cardiological patients, mostly in men. Using of the international questionnaire "SF-36 Health Status Survey" is advisable to assess the QOL in patients with cardiovascular diseases. In this sense, the interaction of a cardiologist and a psychotherapist is appropriate and justified for the most optimal management of a patient with this pathology.
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