Acceptance of the disease and sexual functions of patients with heart failure

Sexual activity is an important element of quality of life for many individuals suffering from heart failure.

The study investigated the influence of disease acceptance on sexual function in a population of male patients with chronic heart failure.

The study included 80 patients with chronic heart failure (mean age 63.3±9.2 years) who filled in the Mell–Krat Scale questionnaire to evaluate sexual needs and reactions. We also used the International Index of Erection Function (IIEF-5) inventory and the Acceptance of Illness Scale (AIS).

The study showed that the acceptance of the illness was positively associated with all of the Mell–Krat components such as sexual need, F = (3.27), frequency of intercourse, F = (2.46), position and technique, F = (1.88). Also, according to the IIEF-5 questionnaire, 84.42% of respondents had erectile dysfunction. Taken together these indicated that psychological adjustments such as acceptance of disease increase quality of all aspects of sexual functions in heart failure patients, including their erectile functions.

Our findings suggest that psychological adjustments to feelings of loss associated with the onset of heart failure disease is the important determinant of quality of sexual life among male adults. Our research implicates that effects of AIS on sexual functioning give reasonable information to tailor sexual counselling for males suffering from heart failure.