Exercise prescription in adults with congenital heart disease: a long way to go.
OBJECTIVE
To determine if appropriate advice had been given to adults with congenital heart disease regarding safe and effective exercise, and to assess pre-existing misconceptions of the potential benefits and dangers of exercise.


METHODS
An anonymous self assessment questionnaire.


METHODS
A tertiary referral clinic.


METHODS
99 adults (57 men, 42 women) with congenital heart disease, mean age 25.6 years.


METHODS
The extent and nature of exercise advice given over previous years; a measure of current activity level compared with the American Heart Association recommendations; and an assessment of exercise limiting symptoms and a description of barriers to further exercise.


RESULTS
44% of the cohort assumed all exercise was safe despite their cardiac disease. A health care professional had only raised the issue of specific exercise advice in 28 cases. Of those given instruction it was more common to receive prohibitive advice (30%) than to be encouraged to take more exercise (19%). Despite this 61% were involved in some form of at least light exercise. The most prevalent barriers to exercise were current symptoms (32.3%), lack of interest in exercise (24.2%), and health fears (16.1%).


CONCLUSIONS
The education of adults with congenital heart disease regarding exercise and its potential benefits and limitations is suboptimal even in a specialist clinic.
Swan
L
L
Department of Medicine and Therapeutics, University of Glasgow, Western Infirmary, Church Street, Glasgow G11 6NT, UK.
Hillis
W S
WS
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D005081:Exercise Therapy; D005260:Female; D006330:Heart Defects, Congenital / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires