Kontakt 2013, 15(4):370-378 | DOI: 10.32725/kont.2013.044

The issue of the performance of activities of daily living in patients with peripheral arterial diseaseNursing

Valérie Tóthová^1,*, Helena Hradová², František Dolák¹, Věra Olišarová¹, Lukáš Martinek¹, Jiří Kaas¹

¹ Jihočeská univerzita v Českých Budějovicích, Zdravotně sociální fakulta, katedra ošetřovatelství a porodní asistence

² Nemocnice České Budějovice, a. s., Urologické oddělení

The paper introduces the reader to the issue of the performance of activities of daily living in patients with peripheral arterial disease. This disease of the lower limbs is the atherothrombotic syndrome, in which there is a progressive narrowing of the arteries of the legs. On the basis of ischemia, tissues of the lower limbs suffer from the lack of oxygen and nutrients, which causes cramps, fatigue, pain, or a sort of contraction in lower limbs, occurring during exercise and at rest disappearing. Manifested symptoms have more or less influence on the performance of daily activities of individuals. The paper presents partial results of the research project "Reflection of the quality of life in nursing", inquired with the financial support of the Internal Agency of the University of South Bohemia. One of the aims of the research was to determine the extent to which citizens diagnosed with peripheral arterial disease are limited in their daily activities. The survey was carried out in the way of a questionnaire, both using standardized and non-standardized questionnaire. The data were collected in the period of April-July 2013. The sample of respondents consisted of 404 patients with peripheral arterial disease. The sample was designed quota sampling - the only determined quota was the age of the respondents. The results were statistically processed in the SASD program. It was found that 43.1% of the respondents have serious problems with walking; the largest group of the respondents in connection with peripheral arterial disease suffers from moderate and heavy pain and discomfort. 28.4% of the respondents reported serious or very serious problems with washing and dressing, 48.8% of the respondents reported moderate and severe problems with carrying out their usual activities. The support of the patient's return to normal life should be reflected in the long-term goal of nursing care, therefore, the impact of the disease on the patient's self-care area can be the basis traced to planning nursing interventions.

Keywords: peripheral arterial disease; pain; walk; self-care; activities of daily living

Received: October 29, 2013; Accepted: November 18, 2013; Published: December 20, 2013  Show citation