Impact of a home-based exercise program on the functional capacity of the person with coronary artery disease

Abstract

Background: Coronary artery disease is one of the most important causes of decreased functional capacity. Work-out is essential for the recovery of the cardiac patient. Objective: To evaluate the effects of a home-based exercise program on the functional capacity of the person di-agnosed with coronary artery disease; to evaluate the par-ticipants’ adherence to the home-based exercise program. Methodology: Quasi-experimental study with 13 participants who were hospitalized between October and De-cember 2016 and who did not participate in Phase II of the cardiac rehabilitation program. These patients under-went a home-based aerobic exercise program for 3 months. Results: Men (84.6%), average age 61.23 ± 11.34 years. On average, each participant performed 81 ± 9.58 exercise training sessions, which indicates an adherence to the program of approximately 92%. At the end of the program, there was an increase in the average number of meters walked in the 6-minute Walk Test (339.77 ± 61.34 vs. 533.77 ± 117.39; p < 0.05). Conclusion: At the end of the home-based aerobic exercise program, there was an improvement in functional capacity of the participants of the study.