Table 2.
Awareness about HF as answers to the different questions (number and percentage of all respondents in 2007), bold = correct
| Question | Frequency in n (%) |
|---|---|
| Which of the following diseases do you know? | |
| AIDS | 2327 (92%) |
| Heart failure (HF) | 1843 (73%) |
| Coronary heart disease (CHD) | 1768 (70%) |
| Bronchial carcinoma | 1523 (60%) |
| None | 57 (2%) |
| What is the meaning of HF? | |
| Disturbed blood flow in the heart muscle | 671 (27%) |
| Defect of the heart valves | 355 (14%) |
| Failure of the heart | 1726 (68%) |
| Elevated blood pressure | 313 (12%) |
| I don't know | 283 (11%) |
| Which disease/diseases can lead to HF? | |
| Heart attack | 1394 (55%) |
| Defect of the heart valves | 1361 (54%) |
| Elevated blood pressure | 1719 (68%) |
| Stroke | 695 (27%) |
| I don't know | 191 (8%) |
| What are typical symptoms or signs of HF? | |
| Shortness of breath under strain | 1987 (79%) |
| Accumulation of water in the legs | 1314 (52%) |
| Weakness of physical performance | 1866 (74%) |
| Pain in right upper arm | 490 (19%) |
| I don't know | 175 (7%) |
| Which is the most common cause for HF? | |
| Disease of the heart's coronary blood vessels with disturbed blood flow | 1801 (71%) |
| Lack of sleep | 60 (2%) |
| Genetic endowments | 347 (14%) |
| Weight loss | 53 (2%) |
| I don't know | 258 (10%) |
| How is HF caused? | |
| By a pumping failure of the heart | 1535 (61%) |
| By the blockage of a brain vessel with a blood clot | 142 (6%) |
| By the blockage of a venous valve | 296 (12%) |
| By overweight | 276 (11%) |
| I don't know | 275 (11%) |
| What is the frequency of HF in the population? | |
| There are only single cases | 101 (4%) |
| It is very rare (less than 0.1%) | 116 (5%) |
| It is one of the most common diseases in internal medicine | 1685 (67%) |
| Almost everyone will be affected in the course of life | 309 (12%) |
| I don't know | 307 (12%) |
| Which age group is especially affected by HF? | |
| Children of up to 12 years | 46 (2%) |
| Adolescents of up to 18 years | 35 (1%) |
| Adults of up to 50 years | 808 (32%) |
| Adults above 65 years | 1435 (57%) |
| I don't know | 206 (8%) |
| How is the course of HF? | |
| HF mostly goes away by itself | 52 (2%) |
| It is healed after at least one month of treatment | 486 (19%) |
| It is about as bad as malignant cancer diseases | 629 (25%) |
| It can only be healed through surgery | 754 (30%) |
| I don't know | 594 (24%) |
| What can I do to reduce my risk of developing HF? | |
| Healthy diet | 152 (6%) |
| Sufficient physical exercises | 165 (7%) |
| Not smoke | 122 (5%) |
| All the above measures | 2027 (80%) |
| I don't know | 59 (2%) |
| What are the treatment options for HF? | |
| There is no treatment | 60 (2%) |
| Always strict bed rest for several months | 57 (2%) |
| Diet | 212 (9%) |
| Mostly, lifelong treatment with medicines | 1844 (74%) |
| I don't know | 318 (13%) |