Prevalence and correlates of cardiac cachexia among jordanian chronic heart failure patients

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Issa M Hweidi

Jordan University of Science and Technology, Jordan

: J Nurs Patient Care

Abstract

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Cardiac cachexia is considered as an ominous complication that possibly associated with the terminal stages of chronic heart failure (CHF) as it consumes the protein-calories reserves of the patients. Cardiac cachexia still poorly understood as a result of complex pathophysiology and its treatment modalities; even of the growing incidence and the devastating pathological consequences. Cardiac cachexia necessitates nurses and other health care professionals for early detection and effective management to enhance the chronic heart failure patients overall well-being and to prevent further deterioration in their health status. The aims of this study are divided into two folds that include: (1) Identify the prevalence and level of cardiac cachexia in Jordanian chronic heart failure patients. (2) Describe the correlates of cardiac cachexia from sociodemographic data of Jordanian chronic heart failure patients. A cross-sectional design was employed in the study. A convenient sample of 300 chronic heart failure patients was recruited from accessible chronic heart failure patients who regularly visit the cardiac care clinics at two different selected hospitals that represent two different major health sectors in Jordan. A researcher-developed instrument was used to collect the data for the purpose of this study. Descriptive statistics and inferential statistics were used to analyze the data. The mean of the total cachexia score of the sample was 5.88 (SD= 6.15, range= 0-26). Cardiac cachexia was found in 58.7% (n= 176) and about half of the cachectic patients were having mild cachexia. The prevalence of cardiac cachexia in relation to the accessible population was 13.15%. There were statistically significant correlation between the total cachexia score and some of the tested continuous variables that include the patients’ age (p=0.001), monthly income (p=0.024) and number of years since diagnosed as chronic heart failure patients (p=0.001), however; number of daily smoked cigarettes wasn’t correlated significantly with the total cachexia score (p= 0.226).

Biography

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Issa M Hweidi is a doctoral degree holder, has rich experience as a clinical nurse educator in the field of Medical-Surgical Nursing. Currently, Dr. Hweidi is a tenured associate professor of adult health nursing at Jordan University of Science and Technology.

E-mail: hweidi@just.edu.jo