The Effect of Breathing Exercise on Fatigue in Heart Failure Patients

Mustafa Kemal University

Status: Completed

Conditions: Heart Failure; Fatigue

Treatments: Other: Breathing exercise; Other: Placebo Breathing Group

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT05129371

HMKUASKAR-01

Details and patient eligibility

About

In this study, It is aimed to evaluate the effect of breathing exercise on fatigue in patients with heart failure, to reduce the severity of fatigue in participants, and thus to enable patients to participate more actively in daily life.

Full description

In the Heart Failure Prevalence and Indicators study in Turkey, the prevalence of heart failure (HF) in the adult population was determined as 3.2%. In line with this study, although Turkey has a young population, it is seen that the prevalence of HF is higher than in western countries. As it is known, fatigue is one of the most characteristic symptoms of HF and it was determined that the perceived fatigue was moderate or severe in 92% of the patients. There is a decrease in the activities of daily living of patients with fatigue and their quality of life is adversely affected. For this reason, nurses have an active role in the evaluation of fatigue and in ensuring that the patient can cope with fatigue with appropriate interventions. In the management of fatigue, non-pharmacological approaches are frequently used in addition to current pharmacological treatment. Breathing exercises, one of the non-pharmacological approaches used; consists of breathing control and exercises that create body awareness. It also controls the instincts and the mind. In a study conducted with patients with multiple sclerosis; Upper extremity exercise and breathing exercises were combined as a home-based program, 2 days a week in 60-minute sessions. It has been demonstrated that the 4-week program contributes to the reduction of fatigue. However; A study reported to be the first to evaluate the effects of yoga and specific breathing techniques for improving cardiovascular function, autonomic system, and quality of life in heart failure patients with preserved ejection fraction is still in the patient selection and intervention stages. In this study, the participants were randomly divided into three groups, and active breathing techniques were applied to the first group and passive breathing techniques to the second group. The third group (control) receives standard pharmacological treatment. The application period is done in 45-minute sessions twice a week for 8 weeks. There is no study in the literature investigating the effect of breathing exercise on fatigue in patients with heart failure. In this study, which was planned in the light of this information; It is aimed to evaluate the effect of breathing exercise on fatigue in patients with heart failure, to reduce the severity of fatigue in patients, and thus to enable patients to participate more actively in daily life.

Enrollment: 66 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18+ years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Citizen of T.C.
• 18 years old and over
• Diagnosed with heart failure at least 6 months ago, according to the heart failure classification of the New York Heart Association (NYHA) II. or III. in phase
• Left ventricular ejection fraction < 50%
• Volunteer to participate in the research
• Piper fatigue scale score of 4 and above
• Hb value of 8 gm/dL or more
• Having an Internet connection and a smartphone at or near Patients meeting all of the above criteria are included in the study.

Exclusion criteria

• Those who are taking or doing yoga/pranayama/deep breathing exercises before diagnosis
• Having a problem (due to deviation of the septum, etc.) that causes difficulty in doing breathing exercises
• Have a serious mental illness/cognitive problem that may affect their perception or communication
• Receiving chemotherapy treatment
• Have had cardiovascular surgery in the last 3 months
• Those who have had myocardial infarction in the last 3 months
• Have had valve surgery in the last 6 months
• Have chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or asthma
• Chronic renal failure with glomerular filtration rate < 30 ml/min
• Have a serious disease related to heart valves
• Piper fatigue scale score below 4
• Hb value below 8 gm/dL
• Existing Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy (CRT)
• Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator (ICD) administered in the past 6 months
• Those who were informed about the research but did not want to participate in the research

In case of any of the above criteria, the patient is excluded.

Trial design

Primary purpose: Supportive Care

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: Double Blind

---

66 participants in 3 patient groups, including a placebo group

Breathing Exercise Group

Active Comparator group

Description:

This group will be given breathing exercises in accordance with the determined protocol.

Treatment:

Other: Breathing exercise

Placebo Breathing Group

Placebo Comparator group

Description:

Normal breathing of this group will be monitored.

Treatment:

Other: Placebo Breathing Group

Control Group

No Intervention group

Description:

No application will be made to this group.