COMPLIANCE WITH MEDICAL AND NURSING RECOMMENDATIONS IN A GROUP OF PATIENTS AFTER HEART TRANSPLANTATION

Background
Heart transplantation is a complex surgical procedure for the treatment of end-stage heart failure, performed only in six Cardiac Surgery Clinics in Poland. After a heart transplantation, the patient requires specialist therapy and care, together with a change of lifestyle. The aim of the study was to analyze adherence to therapeutic recommendations, together with an assessment of the social activity of patients after myocardial transplantation.

Material and methods
The study included 50 patients (27♂, 23♀) who had undergone heart transplantation. The research method was a diagnostic survey, and the research tool was a questionnaire handed in personally.

Results
Among respondents, 78% declared that their current health condition was much better than before the transplant, 85% of the examined patients assessed their current health as good or very good, and 40% of patients said that the necessity of using immunosuppressive drugs negatively affected their everyday lives. As many as 48% of patients attested to a significant loosening of contacts with extended family and friends, and not undertaking professional work.

Conclusions
Most patients after heart transplantation changed their lifestyle, but not sufficiently enough, especially when we consider following the rules of healthy eating and practicing sports regularly on a daily basis. In patients after heart transplantation, apart from physical rehabilitation, improvement in the reconstruction of social relations would be highly recommended as well, because of the low percentage of the surveyed patients returning to their professional activity, and comprehensive care with special regard to the educational actions of the medical team.