Relationship between rational drug use and adaptati̇on to the disease and quality of life in patients over 65 YEARS of age with HEART failure

Objective: This study was conducted to examine the relationship between rational drug use, compliance with the disease and quality of life in patients over 65 years of age with heart failure. Materials and Methods: The study was carried out with 322 patients who applied to the cardiology outpatient clinic of Aydın State Hospital with the diagnosis of heart failure between September 2020 and September 2021, as a descriptive and cross-sectional study. The data were collected using a questionnaire prepared by the researchers, rational drug use scale, adaptation to chronic illness scale and quality of life scale in older people (CASP-19). In the analysis of data; While t-test, Mann-Whitney U and ANOVA (post hoc Bonferroni test) tests were used for comparisons, Pearson correlation analysis was used to examine the relationship between scale scores. The situation with p<0.05 was considered significant. Results: Rational drug use levels of the patients according to the rational drug use scale were 44.09±2.22, compliance levels according to the chronic illness adaptation scale were 74.66±9.97 and quality of life levels according to the quality of life scale in older people was determined to be 35.60±5.83 above the mean level. It was observed that the rational drug use level of the patients had a significant relationship on their compliance with the disease (r=0.226; p<0.001). It was seen that there was no relationship with quality of life (r=-0.039 ; p=0.486). Conclusion: In the study, it was concluded that rational drug use in individuals over 65 years of age with heart failure had a more positive effect on the adaptation process to the disease, while it caused a weaker change on the quality of life. It would be appropriate to support xiv research findings with larger randomized studies. The effect of rational drug use on mortality and morbidity in elderly patients with heart failure needs to be investigated in new studies. Keywords: Compliance, Elderly, Heart Failure, Quality of Life, Rational Medicine