Secondary prevention after an acute coronary syndrome: medium-term results of a cardiac rehabilitation programme

Abstract

Introduction: Cardiac rehabilitation programmes have become a very important tool for improving the prognosis and quality of life of patients that have suffered an acute coronary syndrome. Objective: To evaluate the medium-term results of a cardiac rehabilitation programme. Materials and methods: A descriptive study of 121 patients that presented with an acute coronary syndrome and were included in a cardiac rehabilitation programme. An analysis was performed on the demographic and anthropometric characteristics, as well as laboratory tests and functional capacity on inclusion, after finishing the programme, and at 12 months. Results: The mean age of the patients was 54 ± 7 years. The most prevalent cardiovascular risk factor was overweight / obesity (88.4%). After finishing the cardiac rehabilitation programmes, the LDL Cholesterol values significantly decreased (81.1 ± 28.7 vs. 76.5 ± 31.5 mg/dl; P = .03). A significant percentage of diabetics reached objectives of an Hb A1c < 7% (50% vs. 68.5%; P = .01). The abdominal circumference showed a statistically significant decrease (100.8 ± 12.8 vs. 99.5 ± 12.3 cm; P = .004). An improvement in functional capacity was observed in 89.3% of the patients. In the annual review, the majority of the parameters studied showed a slight negative trend. Just under half (47.36%) of smokers at inclusion maintained the tobacco habit at one year. Conclusions: Cardiac rehabilitation programmes improve the control of cardiovascular risk factors, changes in life style and functional capacity in patients that had suffered an acute coronary syndrome. Control strategies need to be enforced in order to maintain these benefits in the medium-long term.