Avaliação da qualidade de vida da pessoa com insuficiencia cardíaca submetida a cirurgia valvular

Abstract

Heart failure is the only main cardiovascular disease currently growing regarding themortality rate but above all with regard to the rate of morbidity with the elderly populationbeing the most affected. In the absence of health policies particularly focused on the issue,the growth trend is expected to continue.This growth seems to be conditioned by determinant factors such as the increased averagelife expectancy as well as the increased risk factors for this disease, such as hypertension.Portugal is no different on this matter as they present similar values to those experienced inthe rest of Europe.Heart failure patients experience a progressive deterioration of their health status, and functional limitations are considered as a natural consequence that may, or may not, have also a deficit in self-care due to intolerance to physical activity.The specialist nurse should present himself as an educator and emancipator in the process of adapting the patient to a lifestyle that is better for his clinical condition, where behavior changes should prevail, as much as possible, maintaining autonomy and self-care in dailytasks. After finding a consensual definition for the concepts Quality of Life and Health Related Quality of Life, a Scopping Review was conducted in order to map the current knowledge about the impact of both, cardiac pathology on self-care and valve surgery in improving the quality of life. The main conclusions are in favor of surgery as an important factor for quality of life improvement and in decreasing the degree of dependence, also maintaining functional capacity and self-care.Simultaneously to this study, the development of specialized skills took place in two areas of internships where specific skills were developed for a differentiated intervention of care delivered to people in critical status and their families.

Date of Award	10 Sept 2020
Original language	Portuguese
Awarding Institution	Universidade Católica Portuguesa
Supervisor	Isabel Rabiais (Supervisor)