The psychological side of chronic heart failure. A pluriannual experience
Majani, G.; Callegari, S.; Pierobon, A.; Viola, L.; Manera, M.; Opasich, C.; Cobelli, F.; Tavazzi, L.
Giornale Italiano di Cardiologia 27(3): 244-254
1997
ISSN/ISBN: 0046-5968 PMID: 9244726 Document Number: 470456
The present study summarizes the authors' experience reached in the last four years with chronic heart failure patients', particularly referring to the psychological aspects. The 218 male patients (age 51.7 +/- 8.3) psychological profile (obtained by means of the CBA 2.0 Primary Scales) has shown higher scores in the anxiety, depression and psychophysiological disorders scales and lower scores in some of the fear scales, compared with the reference normative group. The CBA 2.0 Schedule 4 has enlightened suicidal ideas, eating and sleep disorders, economic and sexual problems. The comparison between the psychological and the many cardiological variables taken into account, has not allowed to highlight significant relationships on the whole. Our data support the necessity to introduce other--likely subjective--variables in the studies aimed at analyzing the relationships between psychological and cardiological factors in the chronic heart failure patients.