Article

Reduced physical fitness secondary to heart failure (HF) may
contribute to poor driving; reduced physical fitness is a known correlate of
cognitive impairment and has been associated with decreased independence in
driving. No study has examined the associations among physical fitness,
cognition, and driving performance in people with HF.
METHOD: Eighteen people
with HF completed a physical fitness assessment, a cognitive test battery, and a
validated driving simulator scenario. RESULTS: Partial correlations showed that
poorer physical fitness was correlated with more collisions and stop signs missed
and lower scores on a composite score of attention, executive function, and
psychomotor speed. Cognitive dysfunction predicted reduced driving simulation
performance. CONCLUSION: Reduced physical fitness in participants with HF was
associated with worse simulated driving, possibly because of cognitive
dysfunction. Larger studies using on-road testing are needed to confirm our
findings and identify clinical interventions to maximize safe driving.
CI - Copyright (c) 2015 by the American Occupational Therapy Association, Inc.

Langue : ANGLAIS