Lifestyle Behaviours of Women Newly Diagnosed With Heart Failure

Summary

Heart Failure occurs when the heart's ability to pump blood is reduced. Heart failure can lead to symptoms of breathlessness, fatigue and ankle swelling, and result in health complications including damage to other organs (e.g. kidneys), reduced function and quality of life. Although the symptoms of heart failure are similar for men and women, there are sex differences. Lifestyle behaviours such as physical activity are important modifiable risk factor for heart failure. Women continue to be underrepresented in heart failure studies and treatment guidelines are male-derived due to these disparities in recruitment. The purpose of the present study is to evaluate the physical activity levels, sedentary behaviour, sleep and quality of life and understand the barriers and facilitators to these lifestyle behaviours in women newly diagnosed with heart failure.

Eligibility

Inclusion Criteria:

* Adult women with a new diagnosis of heart failure after referral to the RVI Heart Failure Diagnostic Clinic;
* Able to walk and perform activities of daily living independently;
* New York Heart Association functional class II-IV;
* Willingness to undertake physical activity monitoring;
* Willingness to participate in a semi-structured interview (this is optional and the participant will be able to participate in the study if they choose not to take part in the interview);
* Ability to read, write and converse in English without the support of an interpreter;
* Able to provide written informed consent.

Exclusion Criteria:

* Male;
* Already diagnosed with heart failure;
* Presented with severe symptoms requiring urgent assessment and stabilisation (e.g. breathless at rest, hypotension, confusion);
* Major co-morbidity or other alternative diagnoses of no obvious acute and self-limiting cause (e.g. malignancy, severe respiratory disease, mental health problem);
* Severe physical disability preventing them to function independently;
* Clinically unstable with recent changes in medication;
* Unable to provide informed consent.

Conditions2

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