Edinburgh Napier University

  After having elective percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) patients are expected to
self-manage their coronary heart disease (CHD) by modifying their risk factors, adhering
to medication and effectively managing any recurring angina symptoms but that may be
ineffective. Objective: Explore how patients self-manage their coronary heart disease (CHD)
after elective PCI and identify any factors that may infl uence that. Design and method:
This mixed methods study recruited a convenience sample of patients (n=93) approximately
three months after elective PCI. Quantitative data were collected using a survey and were
subject to univariate, bivariate and multi-variate analysis. Qualitative data from participant
interviews was analysed using thematic analysis. Findings: After PCI, 74% of participants
managed their angina symptoms inappropriately. Younger participants and those with
threatening perceptions of their CHD were more likely to know how to effectively manage
their angina symptoms. Few patients adopted a healthier lifestyle after PCI. Qualitative
analysis revealed that intentional non-adherence to some medicines was an issue. Some
participants felt unsupported by healthcare providers and social networks in relation to their
self-management. Participants reported strong emotional responses to CHD and this had a
detrimental effect on their self-management. Few patients accessed cardiac rehabilitation.