The Effects of Exercise in a Coronary Rehabilitation Programme

Abstract

Twenty-two male and female patients who had recently suffered a myocardial infarction were randomly assigned to a treatment group who participated in a 10-week exercise-based cardiac rehabilitation programme or a routine care group who did not participate in the rehabilitation programme. Physiological and psychological function were assessed before the programme started and after it finished. Results indicated that the treatment group did not improve physiological functioning more than the control group but they did evidence statistically significant improved psychological functioning. This investigation appears to be the first attempt to assess the potential benefits of an exercise-based cardiac rehabilitation programme in Glasgow and supports the suggestion that exercise-based cardiac rehabilitation has psychological benefits.

Determinants of Physical Functioning in Coronary Patients

“…11 Although it is not clear in our study whether depression score improved as a function of the group exercise training program or as a function of the time elapsed since the index coronary event, there is evidence from the literature that participation in cardiac rehabilitation is associated with improvements in measures of depression compared with randomized controls. 12,13 Several fitness-related factors were also related to baseline physical function status and to improved function after rehabilitation. These include measures of aerobic fitness and of strength.…”

Cardiac Rehabilitation Outcomes in Women With Chronic Heart Failure

“…1 In cardiac rehabilitation research, control groups themselves can present problems, as previous studies of exercise in heart failure have reported difficulty in ensuring that control subjects themselves did not increase physical activity or attend cardiac rehabilitation elsewhere. 43,44 It is reasonable to assume, therefore, that at least some of the improvement seen in the current study subjects was due to the rehabilitation itself. In addition, previous cardiac rehabilitation trials with control groups have reported improvement in depression, 27,28 physical activity, 42 exercise tolerance, 43,44 and quality of life.…”

“…The study also had no control group to compare cardiac rehabilitation versus no cardiac rehabilitation in patients with heart failure, which would have strengthened results by establishing whether improvement in mood and other outcomes was due to the rehabilitation itself rather than time and natural recovery. In addition, previous cardiac rehabilitation trials with control groups have reported improvement in depression, 27,28 physical activity, 42 exercise tolerance, 43,44 and quality of life. 32 However, given the chronicity of heart failure and the fact that, in this sample, heart failure symptoms were stable, improvement without rehabilitation would not necessarily be expected.…”

Terrible Stent Thrombosis Induced by a Treadmill Test Performed Three Days after Percutaneous Coronary Intervention

“…His platelet function test value by use of the verify-Now system was normal. Generally, exercise training like cardiac rehabilitation is safe, and exercise training in ischemic cardiac disease has been shown to lower mortality 6. However, vigorous exercise might increase the risk of myocardial infarction 7.…”