The Effect of Rational Drug Usage on Disease Adaptation and Quality of Life in Geriatric Patients with Cardiac Insufficiency

Abstract

Aim: Due to chronic diseases that occur with advancing age, the number of medications used in geriatric individuals increases dramatically. This increment necessitates the rational use of drugs within a proper program. Reasonable drug use can affect individuals' adaptation to the diseases and their quality of life. This research was undertaken to explore the impact of rational drug use on disease adaptation and life Quality in geriatric patients with heart failure. Materials and Method: The research involved a cohort of 322 individuals aged 65 and above. Participants completed a patient information form, including the Rational Drug Use Scale, the Chronic Disease Adjustment Scale, and the Elderly Quality of Life Scale (CASP-19). Statistical comparisons utilized t-tests, Mann-Whitney U tests, and ANOVA tests, while Pearson correlation analysis was employed to assess the associations between scale scores. Significance was determined for conditions with p-values less than 0.05. Results: The study revealed a notable correlation between the patients' levels of rational drug use and their adaptation to the disease (r=0.226; p0.05). However, only in the group with polypharmacy was the total score of the physical adaptation sub-dimension of the ACIS significantly lower (p=0.011). Conclusion and Suggestions: The research findings indicated that rational drug use among geriatric individuals positively influenced their ability to adapt to the disease, albeit resulting in a comparatively modest impact on the sub-dimensions of quality of life. Further studies are needed to evaluate rational drug use and to investigate its effect on symptom control, patient satisfaction, and quality of life in patients with heart failure.