Adversity of prolonged extreme cold exposure among adult clients diagnosed with coronary artery diseases: a primer for recommending community health nursing intervention.
Eladio Martin S Gumabay, Raquel C Ramirez, Judy Mae M Dimaya and 1 others
PMID 29344396WHAT IT FOUND
Adults with coronary artery disease in cold coastal communities said prolonged cold was related to chest pain, numbness, breathlessness, palpitations, and fatigue.
They described staying warm, resting, and seeking local health help, but poverty and smoking or alcohol use limited safe coping.
Key findings
01Twenty-nine of 30 informants said cold weather was directly related to their illness.
02Cold exposure was reported with chest pain, numbness, chills, blurred vision, difficulty or shortness of breathing, palpitations, muscle stiffness or pain, dizziness, headache, cough, colds, and joint pain.
03Two informants described smoking or drinking liquor as effective coping methods, and a handful said lack of money prevented consultation, medication, or confinement.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
The study asked adults to describe their experiences; it did not measure clinical events, actual cold exposure, or whether coping methods improved outcomes. The sample was purposive and limited to 30 adults in coastal Philippine communities, so the themes may not apply to other settings or patients. The stated inclusion age range was 40 to 60, but the informant table included ages up to 64, so the age range is unclear. No objective assessment of coronary artery disease severity, medication adherence, or cold-related physiological changes was reported. The paper recommends community health nursing action, but no nursing intervention was tested.
Declared interests
The authors declared no conflict of interest. No funding source is reported.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that cold exposure caused coronary artery disease events or that the reported coping methods are effective. The study asked adults with coronary artery disease to describe their perceptions and self-management; it did not measure outcomes or test an intervention.