Testing the influence of age, sex and life habits on quality of life of patients with myocardial infarction

Introduction. Cardiovascular disease are the most common cause of morbidity of the modern population and the quality of life of these patients is very significant. Objective of this research is to examine the influence of age, sex and life habits on the quality of life of patients with myocardial infarction. Methods. In order to assess the impact of AMI on the quality of life of patients, a retrospective study was conducted that was designed as a cross-sectional test, while the following where used: Sociodemographic questionnaire; a questionnaire for the assessment of health status, lifestyle habits, comorbidity and disease characteristics of the diseased and Health Survey-SF-36. Statistical data analysis was performed using the statistical software program SPSS. Results. The study covered 175 respondents with an average age of subjects 53.12 years, 113 (64.6%) men and 62 (35.4%) women. Of the total number of respondents with acute myocardial infarction, 56% regularly performed a hygienic diet, and between the two age groups of subjects, a statistically significant difference (χ2 = 37.246; p = 0.001) was observed in the application of hygienic Nutrition Regulations, respondents significantly more often (32.6%) compared to older respondents (23.4%) regularly apply hygiene measures for nutrition. When comparing sex, men are more likely to apply hygiene measures (56%), but the difference is not statistically significant. 57.1% of respondents are engaged in physical activity, and in relation to age there is a high statistically significant difference in physical activity (χ2=55.536; p=0.001), with a significantly larger number of younger respondents regularly engaged in physical activities (35.4%) compared to the older group of respondents (21.7%). Regarding physical activity among respondents of different sexes, a statistically significant difference was observed. As for the incidence of smoking from the total number of respondents, 57.1% are smokers, of which 20.6% belong to the younger age group, while the remaining 36.6% belong to elderly respondents, and men smoke more frequently (38.9%) than women (18.3%). A statistically significant difference in the incidence of smoking was recorded among groups of subjects of different ages and sex. A high statistically significant difference was observed between age groups (χ2=24.711, p=0.001) and half (χ2=14.820; p=0.001) when it comes to the frequency of alcohol consumption. Of the total number of respondents, 29.2% regularly consume alcohol, older people are more likely to consume alcohol than younger ones, and men have a higher likelihood of alcohol consumption (25.1%) than women (4%). The mean values and standard deviations for all eight health domains and two common health measures compared to the age of the respondents indicate that younger respondents showed better quality of health in all domains, both special and common. Physical function (89.17:68.93) (t=11.776; p=0.001), physical limitation of health (86.94:58.10) (t=9.738; p=0.001) (45.43:36.92)=12,993; p=0.001), vitality (60.59:52.73) (t=14.082; p=0.001), limitation due to emotional problems (75.11:39.81) (t=11.517; p=0.001), Social functioning (76.67:43.51) and mental health (61.92:40.72) (t=13.902; p=0.001) are domains in which there is a high statistically significant difference in mean values between age groups of subjects, with younger subjects statistically significantly better quality of health compared with older respondents. When it comes to common health components, which are the usual physical health measure (PCS, Summary of Physical Component) (74.67:58.61) and mental health (MCS, Summary of Mental Component) (68.57:43.90), a group of younger respondents also showed statistically significantly better results than older respondents (t=9.597; p=0.001; t=15.243; p=0.001).There was no statistically significant difference in media values in any of the eight domains of health between the two groups of subjects of different sex and there was no difference between common health components. Men in all domains, especially and jointly, have shown better quality of health, however, this difference is not statistically significant. Discussion. The results of our research confirm the results from the literature, according to which patients after experiencing AMI have significant damage to the HRQOL. Conclusion. Myocardial infarction affects the quality of life of the diseased and HRQOL is significantly higher in all domains of physical and mental health in subjects of the younger age, and does not differ in relation to sex in any of the domains of quality of life related to health. More than half of the patients regularly carry out the hygienic diet regime, where compared to the age of the younger respondents significantly more often they work in relation to the elderly, and as far as half of the differences are not statistically significant. In relation to age, there is a high statistically significant difference in terms of physical activity, with a significantly higher number of respondents of the younger age who regularly deal with physical activity and no statistically significant difference is observed in relation to gender. A statistically significant difference in the frequency of smoking was noticed between groups of subjects of different ages and sex. A high statistically significant difference was observed among age and sex groups of respondents when it comes to the frequency of alcohol consumption, and respondents of the elderly and the male sex are more likely to consume alcohol.