Efficacy of Physical Exercise in Cardiac Rehabilitation

Aarhus University Hospital Skejby

Status: Completed

Conditions: Ischemic Heart Diseases; Coronary Heart Disease; Heart Failure

Treatments: Other: Supervised physical exercise training x3 weekly for 12 weeks; Other: Supervised physical exercise training x2 weekly for 8 weeks

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT01617850

20100297

Details and patient eligibility

About

Physical rehabilitation is a key element in the treatment of patients with cardiovascular diseases, and recent evidence has shown that supervised exercise programmes can prevent cardiovascular events, improve physical function and quality of life. Individualized exercise prescription based on appropriate frequency, intensity and duration is recommended. Furthermore, recent studies have shown that physical cardiac exercise training can influence inflammation of the vessel wall and hence reduce development of arteriosclerosis in coronary vessels. In the literature are divergent conclusions on appropriate frequency and duration of physical rehabilitation programs in order to improve physical function and reduce arteriosclerosis.

The purpose of this study is to investigate the efficacy of an optimized physical rehabilitation programme compared to a conventional programme on physical fitness, health related quality of life and vascular inflammation.

Full description

Both trial groups carry out physical exercise training in groups. The exercise training is instructed by two physiotherapists with expertise in cardiac rehabilitation. Each training session takes 60 minutes and is based on current evidence for physical training for IHD and CHF patients. Exercise intensity progresses within the first week of the training program from moderate intensity (40-59% of VO2max), to high intensity (60-84% of VO2max). Exercise intensity of the individual training sessions is monitored by heart rate.

The training program includes the following:

Warm-up and stretching: Each training sessions starts 10 min. warm-up and ends with 5 min. stretching.

Aerobic exercise : Takes place on treadmill, stairs, ergometer bikes and interval training with different strength-endurance exercises.

Muscle strength: Is performed on machines with weight training equipment or by floor exercises. 10-15 repetitions are performed with a load equivalent to 50-60% of 1 RM.

The exercise programs for both groups are performed using a standardized exercise protocol.

All patients per a sub-maximal and a maximal exercise test prior to participation in the physical exercise training program.

Enrollment: 70 estimated patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18+ years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

Patients prescribed to physical exercise training at Skejby University Hospital with:

• stable and unstable angina pectoris,
• acute myocardial infarction with and without ECG changes
• chronic heart failure

Exclusion criteria

• patients with BMI>35
• patients with musculoskeletal or neurological diseases that unable them to participate in physical exercise training programmes
• patients who can not read or understand danish language

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: Single Blind

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70 participants in 2 patient groups

optimized physical exercise training

Experimental group

Description:

Intervention: Supervised physical exercise training x3 weekly for 12 weeks

Treatment:

Other: Supervised physical exercise training x3 weekly for 12 weeks

conventional group

Active Comparator group

Description:

Intervention: Supervised physical exercise training x2 weekly for 8 weeks

Treatment:

Other: Supervised physical exercise training x2 weekly for 8 weeks