Quantitative and Qualitative Research on Management Strategies for Dyspnoea in Elderly Patients with Coronary Heart Disease Complicated with Chronic Heart Failure

Abstract

Objective

To investigate the most effective strategies for the management of dyspnoea in elderly patients with coronary atherosclerotic heart disease (CHD) complicated with chronic heart failure (CHF).

Methods

The best management plans for dyspnoea were evaluated using quantitative and qualitative research techniques for a total of 120 senior patients with CHD complicated with CHF. A self-made questionnaire on dyspnoea management strategies served as the survey instrument for the cross-sectional quantitative investigation. A phenomenological approach served as the framework for the qualitative study, which involved semi-structured interviews with 12 elderly patients who had CHD complicated by CHF. Data were gathered through audio recordings, and the Colaizzi method was used to analyse the data.

Results

A data analysis of the qualitative research results revealed the four strategies for dyspnoea management that were most effective: using drugs, inhaling oxygen, staying in a comfortable position and maintaining air circulation. These were consistent with the most effective strategies identified by the quantitative findings. There was no significant difference in the choice of dyspnoea management strategies for men and women (t = 0.968, P = 0.806); patients tended to use multiple integrated strategies to manage dyspnoea.

Conclusion

Health care providers should consider employing individualised combinations of dyspnoea management strategies to assist elders with CHD complicated with CHF during acute exacerbations of dyspnoea.

Keywords:

• elderly people
• CHD complicated with CHF
• dyspnoea
• management strategies
• quantitative research
• qualitative research

Abbreviations

CHD, coronary atherosclerotic heart disease; CHF, chronic heart failure.

Data Sharing Statement

All data generated or analyzed during this study are included in this published article.

Ethics Approval and Consent to Participate

This study was conducted in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki and approved by the ethics committee of Affiliated Hospital of Hebei University.

Written informed consent was obtained from all participants.

Acknowledgments

Ya-Nan Niu and Rui Li are co-first authors for this study.

Author Contributions

All authors made a significant contribution to the work reported, whether that is in the conception, study design, execution, acquisition of data, analysis and interpretation, or in all these areas; took part in drafting, revising or critically reviewing the article; gave final approval of the version to be published; have agreed on the journal to which the article has been submitted; and agree to be accountable for all aspects of the work.

Disclosure

All of the authors had no any personal, financial, commercial, or academic conflicts of interest in this work.

Additional information

Funding

Fund Project and Number: S&T Program of Hebei (192777102D). The funding agency did not play a role in study design, data collection, analysis and interpretation, and manuscript writing.