%0 Journal Article
%T Evaluation of the prevalence and severity of pain in patients with stable chronic heart failure
%A Dioma U Udeoji
%A Ankit B Shah
%A Parag Bharadwaj
%A Peter Katsiyiannis
%J World Journal of Cardiology
%D 2012
%I Baishideng Publishing Group Co. Limited
%R 10.4330/wjc.v4.i8.250
%X AIM: To evaluate the prevalence and severity of pain in patients with chronic stable heart failure (HF) in an outpatient clinic setting. METHODS: This is a cross-sectional study evaluating symptoms of generalized or specific pain in patients with chronic stable heart failure. A standardized questionnaire (Edmonton Symptom Assessment System) was administered during a routine outpatient clinic visit. The severity of pain and other symptoms were assessed on a 10 point scale with 10 being the worst and 0 representing no symptoms. RESULTS: Sixty-two patients [age 56 ¡À 13 years, 51 males, 11 females, mean ejection fraction (EF) 33% ¡À 17%] completed the assessment. Thirty-two patients (52%) reported any pain of various character and location such as chest, back, abdomen or the extremities, with a mean pain score of 2.5 ¡À 3.1. Patients with an EF less than 40% (n = 45, 73%) reported higher pain scores than patients with an EF greater than 40% (n = 17, 27%), scores were 3.1 ¡À 3.3 vs 1.2 ¡À 1.9, P < 0.001. Most frequent symptoms were tiredness (in 75% of patients), decreased wellbeing (84%), shortness of breath (SOB, 76%), and drowsiness (70%). The most severe symptom was tiredness with a score of 4.0 ¡À 2.8, followed by decreased wellbeing (3.7 ¡À 2.7), SOB (3.6 ¡À 2.8), and drowsiness (2.8 ¡À 2.8). CONCLUSION: Pain appears to be prevalent and significantly affects quality of life in HF patients. Adequate pain assessment and management should be an integral part of chronic heart failure management.
%K Heart failure
%K Pain
%K Symptoms
%K Therapy
%K Palliative care
%U http://www.wjgnet.com/1949-8462/full/v4/i8/250.htm