Lifestyle Factors Influencing Coronary Heart Disease

This descriptive study examines the lifestyle factors influencing Coronary Heart Disease (CHD) patients in Teaching Hospital (TH) Jaffna. Jaffna has considerable incidence of CHD and there were high rates of admissions of acute and chronic CHD patients at TH Jaffna (Annual Hospital Statistics, 2014). Many cardiac treatments are available to prevent CHD in Jaffna but the incidences are still high. It is assumed that an active lifestyle may help to prevent these conditions. This study observed the lifestyle factors such as dietary habits, pattern of exercise, habit of smoking and alcohol intake.

The study has been carried out at the cardiology unit and all medical units of the TH Jaffna from the 15th of November to the end of December 2014. 150 CHD patients were administered a questionnaires which were used to collect data. Convenience sampling technique was used to collect the sample.

This study has shown that CHD patients at TH Jaffna were initially affected by lack of exercises (75%). Participants who followed an unhealthy dietary habit were 69% and participants who habitually smoked were 37% and alcoholics were 29%.

This study revealed that most of the participants do not perform any exercise and follow unhealthy food habits. A significant number of participants are influenced by smoking and few of them are at risk of CHD by alcohol consumption.