Objective: To investigate the most effective strategies for the management of dyspnoea in elderly patients with coronary atherosclerotic heart disease (CHD) complicated with chronic heart failure (CHF).
Methods: The best management plans for dyspnoea were evaluated using quantitative and qualitative research techniques for a total of 120 senior patients with CHD complicated with CHF. A self-made questionnaire on dyspnoea management strategies served as the survey instrument for the cross-sectional quantitative investigation. A phenomenological approach served as the framework for the qualitative study, which involved semi-structured interviews with 12 elderly patients who had CHD complicated by CHF. Data were gathered through audio recordings, and the Colaizzi method was used to analyse the data.
Results: A data analysis of the qualitative research results revealed the four strategies for dyspnoea management that were most effective: using drugs, inhaling oxygen, staying in a comfortable position and maintaining air circulation. These were consistent with the most effective strategies identified by the quantitative findings. There was no significant difference in the choice of dyspnoea management strategies for men and women (t = 0.968, P = 0.806); patients tended to use multiple integrated strategies to manage dyspnoea.
Conclusion: Health care providers should consider employing individualised combinations of dyspnoea management strategies to assist elders with CHD complicated with CHF during acute exacerbations of dyspnoea.
Keywords: elderly people, CHD complicated with CHF, dyspnoea, management strategies, quantitative research, qualitative research