The Impairment of Social and Environmental Relationships in Patients With Heart Failure Correlated With Therapeutic Class

Background and objectives Heart failure (HF) significantly influences the quality of life, both physically and emotionally, as well as social and environmental relationships. One major objective of HF treatment is to maintain or improve the quality of life. The aims of the study were to assess the impact of HF on social relationships and the relationship with the environment, according to therapeutic class and the presence of comorbidities, and to identify predictive factors for the impairment of these dimensions of the quality of life. Materials and methods This study was based on a cross-sectional survey; 252 patients with HF who have referred themselves to the medical rehabilitation department of the "Avram Iancu" Clinical Hospital, Oradea, between February 2023 and February 2024 were included. The patients were divided into two groups (Group HF-S/V, patients undergoing treatment with sacubitril/valsartan; Group HF-CT, patients receiving conventional therapy). All patients were asked to complete two assessment tools: the Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI) questionnaire and the World Health Organization Quality of Life Brief Version (WHOQOL-BREF) questionnaire. Results The mean values obtained per the domain of social relationships were significantly better for Group HF-CT (65.762 ± 12.519 versus 61.266 ± 12.428, p = 0.024). The mean values obtained on the domain of social relations and in relation to the environment were significantly better for Group HF-CT (65.762 ± 12.519 versus 61.266 ± 12.428, p = 0.024; 61.333 ± 13.461 versus 51.719 ± 16.769, p < 0.001). Both dimensions of the quality of life correlate with age and CCI (F = 7.793, p < 0.001, for social relationships; F = 16.821, p < 0.001, for relationship with the environment). Conclusions Social relationships and the relationship with the environment are affected in HF patients and correlate with age and comorbidity index, regardless of the type of therapy.