Medical Management of Heart Failure and Candidate Selections
Sexuality of patients with advanced heart failure and their spouses or partners

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Abstract

Background

Sexuality is an important aspect of quality of life for patients with advanced heart failure and their spouses or partners. Therefore, we conducted a study to determine the types of sexual problems and concerns of patients and their spouses/partners, their level of interest in receiving information on this topic, and the relationship between their need for information and the degree of sexual problems.

Methods

Sixty-three couples were recruited from a university-affiliated, outpatient, heart failure program during their initial visit.

Results

The most important sexual relationship issue of both patients and spouses/partners was related to decreased frequency in sexual relations. They reported the need to receive specific information about sexual activity as moderate to very high, but it was unrelated to the level of need for education and counseling.

Conclusions

Nurses and physicians need to assume interest and provide instruction related to the sexual activity needs of patients and their spouses/partners.

Section snippets

Sample

Our study recruited 126 patients and spouses (63 couples) from a university-affiliated, outpatient, heart failure program during their initial visit. To participate, patients had to be 18 years of age or older; able to speak, read, and write English; without previous significant psychiatric illness; and have an ejection fraction <0.40 with symptoms of chronic heart failure for 6 months or longer. Cognitive function was measured prior to inclusion with the Mini Mental State Examination.21 Eleven

Results

The majority of the patients were men (43, 69.4%) with a mean age of 55.92 (± 9.16) years. Dyads had been married an average of 25.2 (± 14.7) years. The patients were Caucasian (44, 69.9%), Hispanic (9, 14.3%), Black (4, 6.3%), and other (6, 9.5%). The majority of patients had completed a high school level education (25, 40.3%); 24 (38.7%) had completed junior college (2 years) or college (4 years). The majority of the spouses/partners were female (45, 73.8%) with a mean age of 55.1 (± 10.6)

Discussion

The current study contributes to the growing body of knowledge about sexuality in patients with advanced heart failure and their spouses/partners by defining the types of sexual relationship issues for patients and their spouses/partners.

The pathophysiology of heart failure contributes to sexual dysfunction. Generally patients report a diminished libido4, 19, 20 and difficulty achieving orgasm.16 Up to 75% of male patients report difficulty obtaining and maintaining an erection.16, 20 However,

Conclusions

Sexuality is important aspect of QOL for patients with advanced heart failure and their spouses/partners. The pathophysiology and treatment of advanced heart failure contributes to sexual dysfunction. The sexual relationship issues for patients and their spouses or partners are related to decreases in interest, ability, and satisfaction with sex. Patients and spouses/partners are interested in receiving instruction about sexual activity, although this interest is unrelated to the actual degree

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  • Cited by (0)

    This research was partially supported by a grant from the American Heart Association Western Division.

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