Preliminary results 6 months after ambulatory cardiac rehabilitation program (ACR)

Objective: First results 6 months after ACR performed at six rehabilitation centres with external evaluation. The study group of 132 patients (114 men and 18 women; 55.6 plus or minus 11.9 yrs) participated in a 3-week ACR program followed by a clinical re-evaluation 6 months later (III). ACR-indications were in 59 cases myocardial infarction (MI), in 12 coronary artery diseases (CAD) with invasive procedure, in 49 coronary artery-bypass-graft (CAGB), in 9 cardiac valve surgery, in 3 other cardiac diseases. Results: The results are summarised in the figure. Before ACR (I) 59.1%, (in the end?) (II) 80% and by III 84,2% received lipid lowering drugs. At I 70, by II 28 and by III 21 patients were active smokers Since ACR coronary angiography was performed on 27 patients, in 13 patients additional invasive procedures (PTCA in 10 cases, stent implantation in 4, in 5 CABG) were performed. One patient experienced a MI, one a recurrent-MI. In 111 patients cardiovascular diagnosis remained unaltered. Discussion: The results demonstrate successful rehabilitation, which was sustained and by some criteria improved over the following 6 months.