Long-term cardiac rehabilitation program favorably influences fibrinolysis and lipid concentrations in acute myocardial infarction.
OBJECTIVE
The control of well-known atherosclerotic risk factors represents the optimal strategy in the prevention of acute coronary syndromes. It was the aim of this work to analyze the effects of a long-term cardiac rehabilitation program on the changes of fibrinolysis parameters and plasma lipid profile in coronary patients.


METHODS
The study was carried out in 30 (M/F:22/8, mean age 47 years) survivors of a first acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and in 30 healthy controls who underwent a cardiac rehabilitation program (9 months duration). Samples were taken before, at 3 and 9 months after the beginning of the program to measure: tissue-type plasminogen activator (t-PA) antigen and plasminogen activator inhibitor (PAI-1) activity and antigen. A lipid profile including cholesterol (both HDL and LDL) and lipoprotein(a) was also assessed. The Wilcoxon and Mann-Whitney tests were used for statistical comparisons.


RESULTS
There was a marked decrease of functional PAI-1 after 3 and 9 months as compared with baseline in AMI patients (p < 0.01). Results showed a significant increase of HDL-cholesterol (p < 0.01) and decrease of lipoprotein(a) levels after the exercise program (p < 0.01).


CONCLUSIONS
The cardiac rehabilitation program improved fibrinolysis, by reducing the functional levels of PAI-1, and ameliorated the lipid profile by decreasing lipoprotein(a) and increasing HDL-cholesterol in patients with AMI. A long-term cardiac rehabilitation has positive effects on some risk factors for coronary disease.
Hematology Service, School of Medicine, University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain.
J A
JA
Páramo
I
I
Olavide
J
J
Barba
R
R
Montes
C
C
Panizo
M C
MC
Muñoz
E
E
Rocha
D000208:Acute Disease; D005260:Female; D005342:Fibrinolysis; D006801:Humans; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000097:blood / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D012307:Risk Factors; D013997:Time Factors
D008055:Lipids