Background: Although attention is focused on addressing the acute situation created by the COVID-19 illness, it is imperative to continue our efforts to prevent cardiovascular morbidity and mortality, particularly during a period of prolonged social isolation which may limit physical activity, adversely affect mental health and reduce access to usual care. One option may be to deliver healthcare interventions remotely through digital healthcare solutions. Therefore, the aim of this paper is to bring together the evidence for remote healthcare during a quarantine situation period to support people living with cardiovascular disease during COVID-19 isolation. Methods: The PubMed, CINAHL and Google Scholar were searched using telehealth OR digital health OR mHealth OR eHealth OR mobile apps AND COVID-19 OR quarantine search terms. We also searched for literature relating to cardiovascular disease AND quarantine. Results: The literature search identified 45 potentially relevant publications, out of which nine articles were included. Three overarching themes emerged from this review: (1) preparing the workforce and ensuring reimbursement for remote healthcare, (2) supporting mental and physical health and (3) supporting usual care. Conclusion: To support people living with cardiovascular disease during COVID-19 isolation and to mitigate the effects of quarantine and adverse effect on mental and physical well-being, we should offer remote healthcare and provide access to their usual care.

BackgroundRegular daily physical activity is recognised as important in heart failure (HF) patients, but adherence to physical activity is low (<50%). To improve adherence to exercise in HF patients, alternative approaches to motivate and increase self-efficacy to exercise are needed. Therefore, we have studied a new phenomenon: exergames (games to improve physical exercise). The aims of the study were to assess the influence of the exergame platform Nintendo Wii on exercise capacity and daily physical activity in heart failure patients, to study factors related to exercise capacity and daily physical activity, and to assess patients’ adherence to exergaming.MethodsA 12-week pilot study with a pretest-posttest design was conducted. The intervention consisted of an instruction on how to use the Wii and 12 weeks’ access to Wii at home. The main variables tested were exercise capacity (measured with a six-minute walking test), daily physical activity (measured with an activity monitor), and time exergaming (daily self-report with a diary). Bivariate correlations were used to assess associations between symptom experience, self-efficacy, motivation, anxiety, and depression.ResultsIn total, 32 heart failure patients were included. More than half of the patients (53%) significantly increased their exercise capacity after 12 weeks. No significant difference was found in daily physical activity between baseline and 12 weeks. Lower NYHA class and shorter time since diagnosis were factors significantly related to the increase in exercise capacity. The daily mean time spent exergaming was 28 minutes, and having grandchildren and being male were related to more time spent exergaming.ConclusionExergaming has the potential to increase exercise capacity in elderly, chronically ill cardiac patients. Although the daily physical activity did not change over time, exergaming was feasible for heart failure patients and might be a rehabilitation option for patients with heart failure.

AimsExercise is known to be beneficial for patients with heart failure (HF), and these patients should therefore be routinely advised to exercise and to be or to become physically active. Despite the beneficial effects of exercise such as improved functional capacity and favourable clinical outcomes, the level of daily physical activity in most patients with HF is low. Exergaming may be a promising new approach to increase the physical activity of patients with HF at home. The aim of this study is to determine the effectiveness of the structured introduction and access to a Wii game computer in patients with HF to improve exercise capacity and level of daily physical activity, to decrease healthcare resource use, and to improve self‐care and health‐related quality of life.Methods and resultsA multicentre randomized controlled study with two treatment groups will include 600 patients with HF. In each centre, patients will be randomized to either motivational support only (control) or structured access to a Wii game computer (Wii). Patients in the control group will receive advice on physical activity and will be contacted by four telephone calls. Patients in the Wii group also will receive advice on physical activity along with a Wii game computer, with instructions and training. The primary endpoint will be exercise capacity at 3 months as measured by the 6 min walk test. Secondary endpoints include exercise capacity at 6 and 12 months, level of daily physical activity, muscle function, health‐related quality of life, and hospitalization or death during the 12 months follow‐up.ConclusionThe HF‐Wii study is a randomized study that will evaluate the effect of exergaming in patients with HF. The findings can be useful to healthcare professionals and improve our understanding of the potential role of exergaming in the treatment and management of patients with HF.Trial registration NCT01785121

Background The prevalence of multimorbidity is increasing worldwide, and older people with multimorbidity are frequent users of health care services. Since multimorbidity has a significant negative impact on Health-related Quality of Life (HrQoL) and is more common in older age it would be expected that factors related to HrQoL in this group might have been thoroughly researched, but this is not the case. Furthermore, it is important to look at old people living at home, considering the shift from residential to home-based care. Therefore, we aim to investigate factors that are related to HrQoL in older people with multimorbidity and high health care consumption, living at home. Methods This is a secondary analysis of a RCT study conducted in a municipality in south-eastern Sweden. The study had a longitudinal design with a two-year follow-up period assessing HrQoL, symptom burden, activities of daily living, physical activity and depression. Results In total, 238 older people with multimorbidity and high health care consumption, living at home were included (mean age 82, 52% female). A multiple linear regression model including symptom burden, activities of daily living and depression as independent variables explained 64% of the HrQoL. Higher symptom burden, lower ability in activities of daily living and a higher degree of depression were negatively related to HrQoL. Depression at baseline and a change in symptom burden over a two-year period explained 28% of the change in HrQoL over a two-year period variability. A higher degree of depression at baseline and negative change in higher symptom burden were related to a decrease in HrQoL over a two-year period. Conclusion In order to facilitate better delivery of appropriate health care to older people with high health care consumption living at home it is important to assess HrQoL, and HrQoL over time. Symptom burden, activities of daily living, depression and change in symptom burden over time are important indicators for HrQoL. Trial registration Clinicaltrials.gov identifier: NCT01446757 , the trial was registered prospectively with the date of trial registration October 5 th , 2011.

Aims Exergaming is a new tool to increase physical activity. This study aimed to determine the effects of access to a home‐based exergame (Nintendo Wii) in patients with heart failure (HF) on exercise capacity, self‐reported physical activity and patient‐reported outcome measures. Methods and results We enrolled 605 HF patients in New York Heart Association functional class I–IV, independent of ejection fraction, in an international multicentre randomized controlled trial. Patients were randomized to exergame (intervention) or motivational support (control). The primary endpoint was change in submaximal aerobic exercise capacity as measured by the distance walked in 6 min (6MWT) between baseline and 3 months. Secondary endpoints included long‐term submaximal aerobic exercise capacity, muscle function, self‐reported physical activity, exercise motivation, exercise self‐efficacy at 3, 6 and 12 months. At baseline, patients on average walked 403 ± 142 m on the 6MWT. Patients in the exergame group walked further compared to controls at 3 months (454 ± 123 vs. 420 ± 127 m, P = 0.005), at 6 months (452 ± 123 vs. 426 ± 133 m, P = 0.015) and 12 months (456 ± 122 vs. 420 ± 135 m, P = 0.004). However, correcting for baseline 6MWT values by means of a linear mixed‐effects model revealed no main effect for the intervention on 6MWT. Small significant effects on muscle function were found. Statistically significant treatment effects were found for muscle function but after correction for baseline and confounders, only the treatment effect for the heel‐rise left at 6 months was significant (P < 0.05). No treatment effect was found for exercise motivation, exercise self‐efficacy, or self‐reported physical activity. Conclusion Exergaming was safe and feasible in patients with HF with different profiles in different health care systems, cultures and climates. However, it was not effective in improving outcomes on submaximal aerobic exercise capacity. Subgroup analysis did not identify specific subgroups benefiting from the intervention. Clinical Trial Registration: http://ClinicalTrial.gov Identifier: NCT01785121.

Background:Physical activity can improve exercise capacity, quality of life and reduce mortality and hospitalization in patients with heart failure (HF). Adherence to exercise recommendations in patients with HF is low. The use of exercise games (exergames) might be a way to encourage patients with HF to exercise especially those who may be reluctant to more traditional forms of exercise. No studies have been conducted on patients with HF and exergames.Aim:This scoping review focuses on the feasibility and influence of exergames on physical activity in older adults, aiming to target certain characteristics that are important for patients with HF to become more physically active.Methods:A literature search was undertaken in August 2012 in the databases PsychInfo, PUBMED, Scopus, Web of Science and CINAHL. Included studies evaluated the influence of exergaming on physical activity in older adults. Articles were excluded if they focused on rehabilitation of specific limbs, improving specific tasks or describing no intervention. Fifty articles were found, 11 were included in the analysis.Results:Exergaming was described as safe and feasible, and resulted in more energy expenditure compared to rest. Participants experienced improved balance and reported improved cognitive function after exergaming. Participants enjoyed playing the exergames, their depressive symptoms decreased, and they reported improved quality of life and empowerment. Exergames made them feel more connected with their family members, especially their grandchildren.Conclusion:Although this research field is small and under development, exergaming might be promising in order to enhance physical activity in patients with HF. However, further testing is needed.

This is the first study that explores how patients with HF experience using an exergame platform at home. The study provided important information on what aspects to discuss when initiating an exergame platform at home and following patients who may want to use an exergame platform at home. The results also revealed that this technology may be suitable for some patients, while others prefer other kinds of physical activity.

BackgroundAdherence to recommendations for physical activity is low in both male and female patients with heart failure (HF). Men are more physically active than women. In order to successfully promote physical activity, it is therefore essential to explore how much and why HF patients are physically active and if this is related to sex. The aim of this study was therefore to evaluate physical activity in HF patients, to describe the factors related to physical activity, and to examine potential barriers and motivations to physical activity with special focus on sex differences.MethodsThe study had a cross-sectional survey design. HF patients living at home received a questionnaire during May–July 2014, with questions on physical activity (from the Short Form-International Physical Activity Questionnaire), and potential barriers and motivations to physical activity.ResultsA total of 154 HF patients, 27% women, with a mean age of 70±10 were included. In total, 23% of the patients reported a high level of physical activity, 46% a moderate level, and 34% a low level. Higher education, self-efficacy, and motivation were significantly associated with a higher amount of physical activity. Symptoms or severity of the disease were not related to physical activity. All the potential barriers to exercise were reported to be of importance. Psychological motivations were most frequently rated as being the most important motivation (41%) to be physically active. Physical motivations (33%) and social motivations were rated as the least important ones (22%). Women had significantly higher total motivation to be physically active. These differences were found in social, physical, and psychological motivations.DiscussionOne-third of the HF patients had a low level of physical activity in their daily life. Severity of the disease or symptoms were not related, whereas level of education, exercise self-efficacy, and motivation were important factors to take into account when advising a HF patient about physical activity. Women reported higher motivation to be physically active than men, but there was no difference in the reported level of physical activity.