The Experiences and Perceptions of Health and Illness in Patients Suffering their First Acute Myocardial Infarction and Undergoing Primary Percutaneous Coronary Intervention

Abstract

Advances in technology have enabled interventional cardiology to make huge inroads into the treatment of people with coronary heart disease (CHD). The introduction of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) as an elective procedure has resulted in a group of cardiac patients who usually do not experience significant pain, disability or a sense of threat as the procedure offers a rapid recovery and requires only a short hospital stay. Research has found that peoples' beliefs about their illness determine how motivated they are to change behaviour and there is considerable evidence suggesting that patients who undergo elective PCI often believe that the procedure has cured their illness as they experience an immediate improvement in functional status. This, in turn, hinders their motivation to make lifestyle changes. No research has been identified that explores the experiences of patients who suffer an acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and undergo primary (emergency) PCI, to determine whether this rapid procedure also causes this group to dismiss the seriousness of their illness. This is especially relevant for patients suffering their first AMI as they have only lived with their threat for a short period of time. Consequently, these patients may return to previous lifestyle patterns without considering how to reduce the risk of suffering further cardiac events. Thus, this qualitative study aims to explore the experiences and perceptions of health and illness in patients suffering their first AMI and undergoing primary PCI. The Common Sense Model, a conceptual framework that explains how individuals respond to health and illness threats, guides this study.