Premium
Australian implantable cardiac defibrillator recipients: Quality‐of‐life issues
Author(s) -
RN Dianne Pelletier,
RN Robyn Gallagher,
BA Suzanne MittenLewis,
RN Sharon McKinley,
RGN Jill Squire
Publication year - 2002
Publication title -
international journal of nursing practice
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.62
H-Index - 55
eISSN - 1440-172X
pISSN - 1322-7114
DOI - 10.1046/j.1440-172x.2002.00345.x
Subject(s) - medicine , shock (circulatory) , quality of life (healthcare) , implantable cardioverter defibrillator , population , prospective cohort study , longitudinal study , medical emergency , emergency medicine , intensive care medicine , surgery , nursing , environmental health , pathology
Implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs) have become a well‐established therapy for people experiencing potentially lethal dysrhythmias. Australian recipients’ quality of life and adjustment to the device over time, device‐related complications, shock and associated sensations, and potential sequelae have not been widely explored. This paper reports a longitudinal prospective study of Australian ICD recipients ( n = 74) to determine their responses to the device, health‐related quality of life over time and shock experiences. A questionnaire designed for the study and the Medical Outcomes Trust Quality of Life Instrument, the SF36, were completed by recipients prior to and at 3 and 12 months post insertion. Results show that quality of life decreased for general health and social function between 3 and 12 months. Nearly half (49%) of the recipients received shocks within 12 months and the majority (92%) of these experienced sequelae that could make driving hazardous. Half of the population (49%) were driving at 3 months and 69% by 12 months, including 67% of those who had been shocked. Twenty‐seven percent were hospitalized with device‐related complications. Driving, the shock experience and rehospitalization, the shock experience and driving behaviour are significant issues for those with the implanted device. While it is a limitation of the study that partners and carers were not included, these findings will also be of interest to them.