The Impacts of Cardiac Rehabilitation Program on Exercise Capacity, Quality of Life, and Functional Status of Coronary Artery Disease Patients with Left Ventricular Dysfunction.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the impacts of cardiac rehabilitation on exercise capacity, quality of life (QOL), and functional status in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD).


METHODS
Self-controlled clinical trial.


METHODS
CAD patients with mild to moderate left ventricular dysfunction participated in an exercise-based rehabilitation program for eight consecutive weeks. Subjects underwent an exercise test before and 8 weeks after rehabilitation. QOL was assessed with the SF-36 questionnaire. Functional status was assessed in terms of sleep time, walking, cycling, exercise, and working duration.


RESULTS
Seventy patients (age=57.5±10.2 years, 77.1% male) were studied. After rehabilitation, peak exercise capacity increased from 8.00±2.56 to 10.08±3.00 METs (p<.001) and exercise duration increased from 14.17±5.27 to 17.21±5.85 minutes (p<.001). Patients' QOL improved in physical and psychological dimensions (p<.05). Cycling, walking, and exercising status significantly increased after the study (p<.05).


CONCLUSIONS
Cardiac rehabilitation improves exercise capacity, QOL, and functional status of CAD patients with mild to moderate left ventricular dysfunction.


CONCLUSIONS
Cardiac rehabilitation practitioners should encourage patients to attend to and be compliant in the rehabilitation programs.
Cardiac Rehabilitation Research Center, Isfahan Cardiovascular Research Institute, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran.
Masoumeh
M
Sadeghi
Heart Failure Research Center, Isfahan Cardiovascular Research Institute, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran.
Mohammad
M
Garakyaraghi
Isfahan Cardiovascular Research Institute, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran.
Mahboobeh
M
Taghavi
Isfahan Cardiovascular Research Institute, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran.
Mohsen
M
Khosravi
Isfahan Cardiovascular Research Institute, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran.
Nizal
N
Sarrafzadegan
Psychosomatic Research Center, Isfahan Cardiovascular Research Institute, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran.
Hamidreza
H
Roohafza
D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000368:Aged; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000150:complications / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D005081:Exercise Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007492:Iran; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011788:Quality of Life; D019145:Rehabilitation Nursing / Q000379:methods*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D018487:Ventricular Dysfunction, Left / Q000150:complications / Q000534:rehabilitation*
Coronary artery disease; exercise; quality of life; rehabilitation