| Learning Objective #1: Describe the most common prodromal and acute symptoms women report experiencing prior to and with acute myocardial infarction | |||
| Learning Objective #2: Describe the influence of comorbidities/risk factors and prodromal symptoms on acute symptom presentation of MI in women |
Objective: This study identified women’s prodromal and acute symptoms of myocardial infarction (MI) and the influence of comorbidities/risk factors on these symptoms.
Design: In this descriptive study we interviewed women diagnosed with MI in the past 4-6 months.
Sample: A convenience sample of 515 women was recruited from five sites. Most were white, married, high school graduates, and had annual incomes of less than $30,000. Their average age was 66 (SD=12).
Variables: Variables were presence of nine comorbidities/risk factors and prodromal and acute symptom scores obtained from weighting symptoms by intensity and frequency.
Methods: Site recruiters identified women using discharge ICD-9 codes and gained permission to release their names to the researchers. Then a team member telephoned women and conducted the 50-minute survey. Data were entered directly into an Access database and analyzed using SPSS.
Findings: Most women experienced symptoms. The number of prodromes ranged from 0 to 25 (M=5.77; SD=4.37) while acute symptoms ranged from 0 to 29 (M= 7.3; SD=4.8). The average prodromal score was 58.5 (SD=52.7). The average acute symptom score was 16.5 (SD=12.1). These scores were strongly correlated 0.61 (p<. 001). T-tests were used to determine if either the acute or prodromal scores were associated with selected risk factors, i.e. diabetes. When women had most risk factors, they had significantly higher prodromal and acute symptom scores. A regression model was used to analyze whether prodromal symptoms predicted the acute symptom score, controlling for selected demographic factors. The covariates accounted for 9.4% of the variability in the acute symptom score while the prodromal score accounted for an additional 30.8% of the variance.
Conclusion: Prodromal symptoms are a significant (p<. 001), independent predictor of acute symptoms.
Implications: Identification of prodromal symptoms could lead to earlier recognition of acute symptoms, potentially decreasing morbidity and mortality in women after MI.
Back to Women's Health
Back to 14th International Nursing Research Congress
Sigma Theta Tau International
10-12 July 2003