P2553The role of the cardiac rehabilitation program in improving functional capacity

Abstract

Introduction: The Cardiac Rehabilitation Programs (CRP) occupy a prominent position in the prevention of cardiovascular disease and in the control of its risk factors. A significant part of its effectiveness is due to its positive impact on the functional capacity (FC) of patients (pts), which results in a significant improvement in their prognosis. Purpose: To assess the functional capacity of pts with ischemic heart disease undergoing a CRP over a 12-month follow-up. Methods:We retrospectively analyzed pts who integrated the CRP between August 2008 and August 2016. We compared two groups of pts: those who maintained their FC and those who lost = 10% of their FC, taking into account the difference between the duration of the exercise testing at the end of the PRC and at the end of the 12-month follow-up. Then we performed univariate and multivariate analysis in order to found the predictors of that evolution. Results: We recruted a total of 549 pts, 86.5% of whom were men, with an average age of 54±9.8 years. In 49.1% of the cases, the diagnosis that led to hospitalization was an acute myocardial infarction with ST segment elevation. We performed a univariate analysis with sociodemographic, clinical and physical activity variables. The family history of coronary disease (p = 0.056), systolic function at the first echocardiogram (p = 0.055) and moderate physical activity in the 12-month review (p = 0.037) were identified as predictors of functional capacity loss. After a multivariate analysis, the previous history of coronary disease (p = 0.056) and the number of damaged vessels (p = 0.033) were the only predictors of this evolution. Conclusions: This study reinforces the excellence of CRPs in the secondary prevention of cardiovascular disease by demonstrating that the majority of pts who integrate that ones show a significantly favorable evolution of FC. It is imperative to identify the different predictors of this outcome in order to enhance the effectiveness of the CRP.