Comparison of knowledge of atherosclerosis and risk factors between patients with peripheral and coronary artery disease

Uvod: Bolezni srca in žilja so še vedno vodilni vzrok smrtnosti v svetu. Periferna arterijska bolezen nastane kot posledica zožitve periferne arterije, in sicer najpogosteje spodnjih okončin. Zožitvi botrujejo povsem enaki dejavniki tveganja kot zožitvi koronarnih arterij. Bolezen perifernih arterij se navadno razvija počasi in je dolgo asimptomatska, zato je tako v Sloveniji kot v razvitih državah prepozno odkrita in posledično ena od najpogostejših posledic ateroskleroze, sledi koronarna arterijska bolezen. Namen: Namen raziskave je ugotoviti, kakšno je znanje o dejavnikih tveganja za nastanek bolezni srca in žilja med pacienti s koronarno arterijsko boleznijo in periferno arterijsko boleznijo, saj gre za enak osnovni vzrok nastanka ateroskleroze, enake pristope zdravljenja in enake dejavnike tveganja. Ugotavljali smo, ali obstajajo razlike med skupinama. Pri pacientih s periferno arterijsko boleznijo smo želeli ugotoviti, na kakšen način pridobivajo informacije o bolezni, saj nimajo enakih možnosti pridobivanja informacij niti zdravstvene vzgoje kot pacienti s koronarno arterijsko boleznijo. Metode dela: Uporabljena je bila deskriptivna metoda dela s presečno študijo. Podatke smo zbirali z anketnim vprašalnikom z 31 vprašanji, razdeljenimi v štiri vsebinske sklope: o prehrani, načinih zdravljenja, telesni vadbi in dejavnikih tveganja za nastanek ateroskleroze. Pacientom s periferno arterijsko boleznijo smo v petem sklopu dodali vprašanja o viru informacij o bolezni. V vzorec je bilo vključenih 37 pacientov s periferno arterijsko boleznijo, ki so prišli na elektivni poseg v bolnišnico, in 46 pacientov s koronarno arterijsko boleznijo, ki so obiskovali drugo fazo rehabilitacije po srčnem dogodku prvi dan rehabilitacije. Rezultati: Znanje pacientov s periferno arterijsko boleznijo je boljše od znanja pacientov s koronarno arterijsko boleznijo tako pri upoštevanju vseh vprašanj kot pri sklopu vprašanj o dejavnikih tveganja za nastanek ateroskleroze. Informacije o svoji bolezni n = 45–77 % pacientov s periferno arterijsko boleznijo pridobi od zdravstvenega osebja. Razprava in zaključek: V raziskavi smo dokazali boljše znanje o aterosklerozi in dejavnikih tveganja za aterosklerozo pri pacientih s periferno arterijsko boleznijo in slabše znanje pri pacientih s koronarno arterijsko boleznijo. Delovno mesto medicinske sestre za zdravstveno vzgojo pacientov s periferno arterijsko boleznijo in koronarno arterijsko boleznijo je z raziskavo izkazana potreba in ključ do opolnomočenja pacientov.Introduction: Cardiovascular diseases are still the leading cause of mortality in the world. Peripheral arterial disease occurs because of the narrowing of the peripheral artery, most commonly of the lower extremities. Stenosis is caused by the same risk factors as the narrowing of the coronary arteries. Peripheral arterial disease usually develops slowly and is asymptomatic for a long time. Like in developed countries, disease is diagnosed too late in Slovenia too. Peripheral arterial disease is one of the most common consequences of atherosclerosis, followed by coronary artery disease. Purpose: With the questionnaire we wanted to find out level of knowledge about the risk factors for the development of cardiovascular disease among patients with coronary artery disease and peripheral arterial disease, as they share the same basic cause of atherosclerosis, the same treatment approaches and the same risk factors. We have examined whether there are differences between groups. In patients with peripheral arterial disease, we wanted to find out how they obtain information about the disease, since they do not have the same opportunities of getting information or planned health education as do patients with coronary artery disease. Methods: For the master\u27s thesis we used a descriptive method of work with a cross-sectional study. We collected the data with a questionnaire. The questionnaire consisted of 31 questions, divided into 4 content sets, on nutrition, methods of treatment, physical exercise and on the risk factors for the onset of atherosclerosis. In the fifth part, patients with a peripheral arterial disease were asked questions about the source of information on the disease. The population was represented by 37 patients with peripheral arterial disease who came to elective treatment in the hospital and 46 patients with coronary artery disease who attended phase II rehabilitation after a heart attack, and they were interviewed on the first day. Results: Knowledge of patients with peripheral arterial disease is higher than the knowledge of patients with coronary artery disease, both in considering all the questions and in the set of questions about the risk factors for the onset of atherosclerosis. Information on their illness is obtained from health care staff n = 45–77% of patients with peripheral arterial disease. Discussion and conclusion: In the study, we demonstrated better knowledge of patients with peripheral arterial disease and poorer knowledge of patients with coronary artery disease on atherosclerosis and risk factors for atherosclerosis. The work of the nurse for the health education of patients with peripheral arterial disease and coronary artery disease was shown through research as the need and key to the empowerment of patients