Quality of life in heart failure. The heart of the matter. A scientific statement of the Heart Failure Association and the European Association of Preventive Cardiology of the European Society of Cardiology - Report - MDSpire
Advertisement
Quality of life in heart failure. The heart of the matter. A scientific statement of the Heart Failure Association and the European Association of Preventive Cardiology of the European Society of Cardiology
Clinical Report: Assessing Quality of Life in Heart Failure Patients
Overview
Patients with heart failure (HF) experience significantly reduced quality of life (QoL) due to a range of physical and psychological symptoms. This statement highlights the importance of QoL assessment in HF, reviews commonly used QoL questionnaires, and discusses their integration into clinical practice.
Background
Heart failure is associated with worse QoL and exercise intolerance compared to other chronic conditions, driven by symptoms such as dyspnea, fatigue, and depression. Traditional clinical trials have focused on mortality and hospitalization, but patient-centered outcomes like QoL are increasingly recognized as critical. QoL is multidimensional, encompassing physical, psychological, and social domains, and is influenced by factors such as socioeconomic status and self-care behavior. Patient-reported outcome measures are essential tools to capture these aspects and guide shared decision-making.
Data Highlights
Questionnaire
Type
Domains Measured
Year Developed
Score Range
Administration
Minnesota Living with Heart Failure Questionnaire (MLHFQ)
HF patients have significantly impaired QoL compared to the general population and other chronic diseases.
QoL encompasses physical, psychological, and social dimensions, influenced by health status and socioeconomic factors.
The Minnesota Living with Heart Failure Questionnaire and Kansas City Cardiomyopathy Questionnaire are the most widely used disease-specific tools.
KCCQ has been qualified by the FDA as a clinical outcome assessment tool for cardiovascular trials.
Barriers to routine QoL assessment include interpretability, language, and lack of integration into clinical workflows.
Systematic use of QoL measures can enhance patient-centered care and shared decision-making in HF management.
Clinical Implications
Incorporating validated QoL questionnaires like the KCCQ into routine HF care can provide valuable insights into patient well-being beyond traditional clinical endpoints. This approach supports personalized treatment decisions and may improve patient engagement and outcomes. Overcoming barriers to implementation requires clinician education and integration of these tools into electronic health records.
Conclusion
Quality of life assessment is a critical component of comprehensive heart failure care. Utilizing validated patient-reported outcome measures can better capture the patient experience and guide more holistic management strategies.
References
Heart Failure Association and European Association of Preventive Cardiology, ESC -- Assessing Quality of Life in Heart Failure
by Maurizio Volterrani, Geza Halasz, Stamatis Adamopoulos, Pier Giuseppe Agostoni, Javed Butler, Andrew J S Coats, Alan Cohen-Solal, Wolfram Doehner, Gerasimos Filippatos, Ewa Jankowska, Carolyn S P Lam, Ekaterini Lambrinou, Lars H Lund, Giuseppe Rosano, Marco Metra, Stefania Paolillo, Pasquale Perrone Filardi, Amina Rakisheva, Gianluigi Savarese, Petar Seferovic, Carlo Gabriele Tocchetti, Massimo Piepoli
