Nursing for Patients with Cardiac Cachexia

Abstract

The aim of this article is to facilitate understanding about cardiac cachexia which is necessary to develop effective nursing care in order to promote wellbeing among patients with cardiac cachexia. Cardiac cachexia is one of common complications among patients living with congestive heart failure. It is associated with extremely poor prognosis and severity of signs and symptoms of the disease. Consequently, morbidity and mortality rate of those living with heart disease is rising. The wasting process causes loss of skeletal muscle and induces cardiac atrophy. This devastating affects the heart function that leads to decrease cardiac output and loss of muscle mass which is caused by neurohormonal activation, anabolic/catabolic imbalance, defects of immune function. Under nutrition intake and nutrients loss caused by treatment also attribute to cardiac cachexia. These abnormalities increase cardiac workload lead to illness deterioration. Nursing with clear understanding about cardiac cachexia should support those living with cardiac cachexia to gain a greater level of wellbeing.