Do Patients Maintain Proper Long-Term Cardiopulmonary Fitness Levels After Cardiac Rehabilitation? A Retrospective Study Using Medical Records

Abstract

Objective To examine whether patients who participated in a cardiac rehabilitation (CR) program after hospitalization for acute coronary syndrome maintained cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) in the community.Methods We conducted a retrospective study including 78 patients who underwent percutaneous coronary intervention or coronary artery bypass graft surgery at our hospital’s cardiovascular center and participated in a CR program and a 5-year follow-up evaluation. Patients were divided into a center-based CR (CBCR) group, participating in an electrocardiography-monitored exercise training in a hospital setting, and a home-based CR (HBCR) group, receiving aerobic exercise training and performed self-exercise at home.Results No significant differences were found between groups (p>0.05), except the proportion of non-smokers (CBCR 59.5% vs. HBCR 31.7%; p=0.01). In both groups, the maximal oxygen consumption (VO<sub>2max</sub>) increased significantly during the first 12 weeks of follow-up and remained at a steady state for the first year, but it decreased after the 1-year follow-up. Particularly, VO<sub>2max</sub> at 5 years decreased below the baseline value in the HBCR group. In the low CRF group, the CRF level significantly improved at 12 weeks, peaked at 1 year, and was still significantly different from the baseline value after 5 years. The high CRF group did not show any significant increase over time relative to the baseline value, but most patients in the high CRF group maintained relatively appropriate CRF levels after 5 years.Conclusion Continuous support should be provided to patients to maintain optimal CRF levels after completing a CR program.

The Effect of Home-Based Cardiac Rehabilitation on Cardiovascular Risk Factors Management

“…Third, in the case of the METs max values representing CRF levels, both groups showed significantly improved results. Although the METs max values at baseline in the two groups were different, one of the main findings of this study was that METs max values increased in both groups and this finding is consistent with that of a previous study [ 22 ]. However, the rate of change from baseline was significantly higher in the CBCR group at 3 months.…”

Fact Sheet on Cardiac Rehabilitation for Cardiovascular Disease in South Korea

“…In Korea, the recovery of cardiopulmonary functions and the improvement of health-related quality of life due to CR have been substantiated. Cardiopulmonary function significantly increased during the initial 12 weeks of CR, and this improvement was sustained for nearly a year [ 9 , 18 ].…”