The quality of life after first acute myocardial infarction

Improvement in the management of patients who are afflicted with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) has resulted in the increase of their survival after heart attacks. The purpose of this study was to determine the quality of life (QOL) after first AMI among patients who referred to teaching hospitals affiliated with Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences. This cross-sectional study was performed with the participation of 300 patients. The inclusion criteria were age between 32 to 79, first AMI, 6 to 30 months after AMI and consent for participation. These patients had been admitted in Shahid Modares, Loghmane Hakeem, Taleghanee and Shahid Labafeenejad hospitals, affiliated to Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, for AMI and they had written medical records in these hospitals. The participants were enrolled in the study when they referred for routine follow-up visits at outpatient clinics. Data was collected by interviewing the patients. For measuring QOL, The Short Form Health Survey (SF-36) was used. The mean age of patients was 56.6± 9.6 years from which 57.5% were men and 42.3% women. The mean scores of QOL in various aspects were 67.2 for physical function, 52.9 for role limitation due to physical health problems, 71.1 for bodily pain, 48 for general health, 52.6 for vitality, 71.3 for social function, 59.2 for role limitation due to emotional problems and 57.2 for mental health. In comparison with the general population, QOL in this study was reduced in all scales but the amount of reduction was not the same. With increasing age, QOL of patients decreased in all aspects. QOL in women after AMI, 9% to 23% more than men was reduced. ‍ The study showed that QOL of patients 6 to 30 months after the first AMI. The QOL decreased in physical scales more than mental and emotional scales. Decrease in QOL was related to increasing age and in women was more than men.