| Abstract [eng] |
Cardiovascular disease is one of the leading causes of death not only in Lithuania, but also worldwide, with myocardial infarction being the main cause. Myocardial infarction is a life-or-death situation for many patients. The disease affects the lives of both patients and their loved ones. However, a timely and correct diagnosis of the disease leads to a high probability of recovery. Patients with myocardial infarction often have reduced physical capacity due to damage to the heart muscle, which leads to fatigue, shortness of breath and reduced exercise tolerance. Restrictions in physical activity and persistent symptoms such as chest pain or palpitations can impair quality of life. Myocardial infarction can disrupt social relationships through reduced participation in work or social activities. Support from family and friends plays an important role in improving the quality of life of patients after a myocardial infarction. The aim of the study. To assess the quality of life of patients after myocardial infarction. Methods and Materials. To analyze patients quality of life after myocardial infarction, a standardized Short Form 36 Medical Outcomes Study questionnaire was selected for the study. The study was conducted between October 2024 and February 2025. 312 respondents after myocardial infarction (52.6% men) participated. Data analysis was performed using IBM SPSS 23.0 statistical software and MS Excel 2016. Results. The study included 312 respondents with a history of myocardial infarction, 96.5% of whom were first-time sufferers. The majority of the subjects (62.2%) had myocardial infarctions less than a year before. The highest scores for psychoemotional health were found in the areas of energy/ vitality (62.8±12.7) and emotional state (57.9±13.9), while the lowest scores were found in the area of restriction of activity due to emotional problems (41.3±26.3). Women with myocardial infarction scored higher than men in the following domains: energy/ vitality (p<0.001) and social function (p<0.001). 56.4% (n=176) were found to participate in sport and 43.6% (n=136) were found not to participate in sport. From the results, it was found that more than two-thirds of women (69.6%) were involved in sport, while the proportion of men who were involved in sport was only 44.5%. Conclusions. The emotional state of myocardial infarction patients scored best in the area of energy and vitality, and worst in the area of activity limitation, due to emotional problems. After myocardial infarction, patients' subjective physical health was best assessed in the area of absence of pain, and worst in the aspects of physical activity and general health assessment. |
