Key result
A systematic review of 20 articles found that following cardiac disease, couples experienced distress, overprotection, communication deficiency, sexual concerns, and role changes, but adjusted.
Why the study?
How is the partner relationship affected following cardiac disease after hospital discharge?
Systematic Review (n=20)
How is the partner relationship affected following cardiac disease after hospital discharge?
Cardiac disease significantly impacts partner relationships through overprotection, communication issues, and role changes, though couples generally adjust and often grow closer.
Answers are grounded in this paper and cite their sources.
Partners warrant inclusion in post-discharge cardiac counseling; extends evidence on dyadic adjustment after cardiac events.
INTRODUCTION: Cardiac disease is a chronic illness that has extensive impact on patients and their partners. No previous review has been made on how the partner relationship is affected following cardiac disease. The review limited itself to the main cardiac disease of myocardial ischemia, arrhythmia and heart failure. AIM: The aim of this review was to identify how the partner relationship is affected following cardiac disease after hospital discharge. METHOD: CINAHL, PubMed and PsycINFO were searched from 1999 to 2009. Quality assessment of included articles was made using the Joanna Briggs Institute Reviewers' Manual. A total of 20 articles were included. RESULTS: Five themes identified how the partner relationship is affected following cardiac disease, namely: overprotection, communication deficiency, sexual concerns, changes in domestic roles, and adjustment to illness. Patients reported feeling overprotected by their spouses which occasionally served as a fertile ground for arguments or conflicts. Most couples experienced some implications concerning their sexual life following cardiac disease, though in various degrees. Both patients and partners seemed to experience communication deficiency concerning emotions within their relationship following the event. Most couples experienced a shift in roles and responsibilities within their partner relationship. Even though most couples experienced great distress following being afflicted with cardiac disease they reported that the disease had brought them closer together. CONCLUSION: The review found that though couples found the cardiac event distressful they conformed and adjusted their relationship to the new situation.
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Dalteg et al. (2011) conducted a systematic review in Cardiac disease (myocardial ischemia, arrhythmia, heart failure) (n=20). A systematic review of 20 articles found that following cardiac disease, couples experienced distress, overprotection, communication deficiency, sexual concerns, and role changes, but adjusted.
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