Introduction and objective:
The aim of this study was to establish the relationship between several factors and the quality of life in cardiovascular patients. These factors were as follows: duration of cardiovascular disease (diseases), the number of cardiovascular diseases diagnosed, the burden of the development of genetic risk of cardiovascular diseases, the burden of life style cardiovascular risk factors, self-assessment of state of health, and participating in cardiovascular rehabilitation.

Material and Methods:
The study comprised a group of 100 cardiovascular patients who had received treatment in Outpatient Departments in Ryki and Dęblin (Lublin Region). The patients suffered from arterial hypertension, coronary heart disease (including patients who had myocardial infarction in the past), and auricular fibrillation. The study group consisted of 50 males and 50 females aged 22–85 (arithmetic mean – 61). Quota sampling was applied. The study was conducted by means of a survey from April – May 2011. An original 39-item questionnaire and a standard SF-36v2 Health Survey questionnaire were used as research tools.

Results:
Patients who had suffered from cardiovascular diseases for more than ten years, persons with more than one cardiovascular disease diagnosed, patients burdened with genetic risk of cardiovascular disease development, patients burdened with chronic stress, examined with low self-assessment of health state, the examined experiencing negative emotions and patients who had not been taking part in cardiovascular rehabilitation, constitute a subgroup of patients characterized by the worst quality of life.

Conclusions:
The subgroup of cardiovascular patients defined above needs special attention in any preventive and therapeutic actions.