Idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension is a debilitating disease that leads to right ventricular heart failure and death. There is limited research on how this disease affects patients. The purpose of this study was to describe differences in health status, health-related quality of life, and psychological states among functional classes along with predictors of health-related quality of life. A convenience sample of 104 participants with idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension was recruited. Participants completed a sociodemographic and clinical data form; Medical Outcomes Study Short-Form 36, US Cambridge Pulmonary Hypertension Outcome Review, and Profile of Mood States surveys. The mean age was 51.9 (SD, 16.6) years, and 81 (78%) were female. Patients with functional class IV had significantly worse self-reported physical health status, health-related quality of life, and psychological distress than the other functional classes. Predictors of health-related quality of life were role-emotional (Medical Outcomes Study Short-Form 36), symptoms and activity (US Cambridge Pulmonary Hypertension Outcome Review), depression (Profile of Mood States), employment, and diuretic and oxygen use, accounting for 86% of the variance. These factors need to be monitored and assessed with patients with idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension especially as functional class increases. Effective symptom management is necessary to reduce the negative impact on health-related quality of life. A case study is presented to illustrate these points.
KEY WORDShealth status, idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension, quality of life P ulmonary hypertension (PH) is a debilitating disease causing progressive functional limitations that ultimately leads to right ventricular heart failure and death. There are five World Health Organization (WHO) classifications of PH. Group I is termed pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). Group II is PH associated with left ventricular heart disease. Group III is associated with pulmonary disease. Group IV is associated with chronic thromboembolic disease, and group V is for miscellaneous disorders. 1 Pulmonary arterial hypertension contains idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension (IPAH) along with familial PAH, autoimmune diseases, congenital heart disease, HIV, and sickle cell disease. Pulmonary arterial hypertension affects primarily women with a mean age at diagnosis of 50 years. 2 Clinically, patients experience a constellation of symptoms including shortness of breath, fatigue, chest pain, palpitations, and peripheral edema. These symptoms are debilitating and force patients to readjust their lives. 3,4 Mortality is high in PAH, although with recent pharmacological advancements, survival has improved with 1-, 3-, and 5-year survival rates of 86%, 69%, and 61%, respectively. 5 Treatments are based on clinical findings including hemodynamics, symptoms, and functional class (FC). WHO FC I are patients without symptoms with usual physical activity. Those with mild symptoms with ordinary activ...