Physiological and Psychological Status Related to Dyspnea in Patients with Cardiopulmonary Disease

Abstract

Background: Vital Capacity (VC); Force Expiratory Volume (FEV1) and Force Expiratory Volume percentage (FEV %) are useful adjunctive tool in diagnosis of cardio pulmonary dyspnea in the emergency department. Nurses' role in this department is to assess the psychological and physiological status related to dyspnea in patients with cardiopulmonary disease at an early stage and nursing management according to their conditions.

Objective: to assess the physiological and psychological status related to dyspnea in patients with cardiopulmonary disease.

Methodology: Pulmonary function test was carried out on (60) patients suffering from cardiopulmonary disease referred consecutively  to the outpatient clinic for pulmonary function test in Baghdad Teaching Hospital, For every patients participate in this study a proper psychological review was done to know the presence of the psychological problem related to dyspnea.

Results: Results of the study show that there is highly significant difference increased in FEV1% and high level of dyspnea and the results of this study also show that there is significant difference with increasing depression and anxiety status and high level of dyspnea.

Conclusion: Verbal descriptors of dyspnea in cardiopulmonary disease are related to the intensity level of dyspnea, and dyspnea is influenced not only by physiological status but also by psychological status.

Recommendation: The development and implantation of educational instructional program for nurses (theory and practice) for the care of patients with cardiopulmonary are very important.