Exercise rehabilitation of older patients with cardiovascular disease.
As the population of elderly patients with cardiovascular disease continues to increase, much research needs to be done with the goal of maintaining physical functioning and personal independence in this population. It is of particular importance to determine whether training programs can improve physical functioning in the most severely disabled older coronary patients. Effects of cardiac rehabilitation programs on other outcome measures, including psychosocial outcomes, lipid levels, insulin levels, and body composition require better study. Finally, the economic benefits of cardiac rehabilitation in the older coronary patients has received little attention, although early reports are promising. In summary, the older population with coronary disease is characterized by high rates of disability. Exercise training has been demonstrated to be safe and to improve strength, aerobic fitness capacity, endurance and physical function. It remains to be seen whether exercise training can reverse or prevent disability in a broad population of older patients with cardiovascular disease. If successful, cardiac rehabilitation programs will pay great medical, social, and economic dividends in this population.
Aggarwal
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Cardiovascular Disease Program, Medical Center Hospital of Vermont, Fletcher Allen Health Care, University of Vermont College of Medicine, Burlington, Vermont. atul.aggarwal@vtmednet.org
Ades
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PA
D000368:Aged; D000072038:Cardiac Rehabilitation; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000401:mortality / Q000503:physiopathology; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D015897:Comorbidity; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000401:mortality / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D015444:Exercise / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000401:mortality / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000534:rehabilitation; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010807:Physical Endurance / Q000502:physiology; D015996:Survival Rate; D016896:Treatment Outcome