title: Return to work after coronary angioplasty or heart surgery: a 5-year experience with the "CardioWork" protocol.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The "CardioWork" protocol, for work resumption after invasive heart procedures and subsequent cardiac rehabilitation, is presented.
  
  
  METHODS
  Over 5 years, 107 consecutive patients of working age were enrolled. Jobs were classified as multiples of basal metabolism according to the entity of physical strain. These data were integrated with instrumental evaluations to provide indications regarding time and modality of work resumption.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 89.7% of patients resumed working. Other relevant findings include the correlation of time for work resumption with the kind of treatment and the task energy requirement; the earliness of return to work, even for older people and those performing heavy tasks; and the difficulty of work resumption for those who failed to restart work within 6 months.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study highlights the importance of a multidisciplinary rehabilitative approach to facilitate work resumption, adapting the work tasks to the changed psychophysical capabilities.
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health and Neuroscience, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy.
authors.forename: Fabrizio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Scafa
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Calsamiglia
authors.forename: Stefano
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tonini
authors.forename: Diego
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Lumelli
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lanfranco
authors.forename: Elisabetta
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Gentile
authors.forename: Francesca Gigli
authors.initials: FG
authors.lastname: Berzolari
authors.forename: Stefano M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Candura
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015906:Angioplasty, Balloon, Coronary / Q000534:rehabilitation; D006348:Cardiac Surgical Procedures / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D002985:Clinical Protocols; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010349:Patient Compliance / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D020127:Recovery of Function; D062707:Return to Work / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome