Heart failure (HF) is defined clinically as a syndrome in which a patient presents with typical subjective symptoms (e.g. dyspnoea, swelling around the ankles and fatigue) and physical symptoms (e.g. elevated jugular venous pressure, crackles over the pulmonary fields and displacement of the apical beat) due to abnormalities of heart structure and function. In Europe alone, the number of people affected by heart failure is estimated to be 15 million, and this number is steadily increasing due to better treatment of acute coronary incidents and an ageing population. HF is associated with frequent hospitalisations, emergency department visits and poor quality of life, but improving self-care among patients in this group is also associated with improvements in their clinical condition. Despite the constant introduction of technological innovations in medicine, invariably the main part of the daily therapeutic process for a patient with chronic heart failure takes place in the patient's home and involves a kind of self-care. Patients who engage in therapy have fewer clinical symptoms, better functional capacity and a higher quality of life.
Patient education is therefore an important element in enabling the patient to adhere to their designated treatment and carry out effective self-care. Lifestyle changes required for patients with heart failure are often related to a comprehensive treatment model, limiting salt, fluid and alcohol intake, increasing physical activity, preventing infections and monitoring symptoms indicating clinical deterioration, namely increased dyspnoea, weight and oedema. Communication and decision-making between the physician and the patient with HF have not yet been thoroughly investigated. The aim of this study was to discuss the results of research on doctor-patient communication in a group of patients with chronic heart failure and the general problems associated with this disease entity.
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