[Health-related quality of life in women with chronic heart failure].

Chronic heart failure (CHF) negatively influences health-related quality of life (HRQoL) of women, significantly restricting them in many spheres of activity and social role functioning. The main CHF symptoms influencing everyday activity and leading to HRQoL include dyspnea, fatigue, weakness, limited exercise tolerance and peripheral edema. Beyond these typical symptoms, the majority of CHF patients experience anxiety and depressive symptoms, excessive stress, chronic pain, sleep disturbances and cognitive dysfunction. The HRQoL of CHF women is worse not only compared to that of healthy individuals, but also to those suffering from other chronic diseases. Several drugs used to treat patients with heart failure can slighty improve HRQoL. The impact of well known as well as some new drugs or nonpharmacological methods of treatment on HRQoL in heart failure women is discussed in the paper.