Articles

The Prevalence of Chest Infection in Patients with Heart Failure in Al-Wahadah Teaching Hospital, Dhamar, Yemen

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Background: Heart failure is a common clinical manifestation of most organic heart diseases that progress to the end stage. Patients with heart failure are often accompanied by secondary conditions such as pulmonary circulatory congestion and pulmonary edema, which can lead to dyspnea, gas exchange disorders, and other consequences, creating certain conditions for pathogens to invade and colonize the lungs. Therefore, patients with heart failure may have higher risk of pulmonary infection.

Aim: This study aimed to assess the prevalence of chest infection among patients with heart failure and to determine the characteristics of the patients with heart failure who had chest infection and the potential risk factors.

Methods: A retrospective, descriptive cross-sectional study was carried out at internal medicine department, Al-Wahdah Teaching Hospital,  Dhamar, Yemen over six months (June – December 2022). A total of 100 patients were enrolled in our study. A semi-structured questionnaire was designed and used for data collection.

Results: A total of 100 heart failure patients including 53 (53%) males, and 47 (47%) females were successfully enrolled in this study. The majority of participated patients were of age group 40 – 60 years (55%), and were of rural residence (83%). Chest infection was documented in approximately two-thirds of included patients (63%). Chest infection was documented in majority of patients who were smokers, Qat chewer, shamma intakes, being obese, had cardiomyopathy, as well as those patients who had dyspnea of NYHA class III & IV, orthopnea, PND, productive cough, high sputum amount, whitish sputum color, peripheral chest pain, fatigue, sweating, fever and  high WBC count, such associations were significant statistically.

Conclusion: This study revealed that, chest infection in heart failure patients was common with overall prevalence of (63%) among included patients this study was. Based on this, an early prevention and intervention measures should be taken to reduce pulmonary infections in patients with heart failure.