Washington [US]: A recent study by American College of Cardiology researchers suggested that spirituality not only helps improve the quality of life for people with chronic diseases like cancer but also impacts heart failure patients.The study was published in the journal, 'JACC Heart Failure'. It further concludes that spirituality should be considered a potential target for palliative care interventions to improve patient-centred and clinical outcomes in these individuals.
"Patients who have heart failure experience a poorer quality of life compared to their peers, with high levels of depression, anxiety and spiritual distress," said Rachel S. Tobin, MD, resident in Internal Medicine at Duke University Hospital, and lead author of the study. "Contributing to diminished quality of life is the fact that heart failure, unlike many other chronic diseases, is very unpredictable and can lead to hopelessness, isolation and altered self-image," he added.
