One-year adherence to exercise in elderly patients receiving postacute inpatient rehabilitation after cardiac surgery.
OBJECTIVE
Promoting an active lifestyle through an appropriate physical exercise prescription is one of the major targets of cardiac rehabilitation. However, information on the effectiveness of cardiac rehabilitation in promoting lifestyle changes in elderly patients is still scant.


METHODS
In 131 patients over the age of 65 yrs (86 men, and 45 women, mean age 75 yrs +/- 6 SD) who have attended postacute inpatient cardiac rehabilitation after cardiac surgery, we tested the 1-yr adherence to the physical exercise prescription received at the end of the cardiac rehabilitation by using a questionnaire on physical activity and the 6-min walk test.


RESULTS
All of the 36 patients who reported an active lifestyle and 49 of the 95 patients who reported a sedentary lifestyle in the year preceding the cardiac operation reported at least 1 hr/day on 5 days each week of light regular physical activity in the year after the cardiac rehabilitation. Further, the distance walked at the follow-up 6-min walk test was significantly related to the physical activity score gathered from the questionnaire.


CONCLUSIONS
Our data show that 65% of the elderly patients who have attended postacute inpatient cardiac rehabilitation after cardiac surgery are still capable of recovering or even increasing their regular physical activity and of maintaining these favorable lifestyle changes at least for 1 yr.
Macchi
Claudio
C
Cardiac Rehabilitation Unit, University of Florence, Florence, Italy.
Polcaro
Paola
P
Cecchi
Francesca
F
Zipoli
Renato
R
Sofi
Francesco
F
Romanelli
Antonella
A
Pepi
Liria
L
Sibilio
Maurizio
M
Lipoma
Mario
M
Petrilli
Mario
M
Molino-Lova
Raffaele
R
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D006348:Cardiac Surgical Procedures / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D005080:Exercise Test; D005081:Exercise Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007297:Inpatients; D008297:Male; D009043:Motor Activity; D010349:Patient Compliance; D040242:Risk Reduction Behavior