title: Cardiac rehabilitation after acute myocardial infarction resuscitated from cardiac arrest.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine the safety and effectiveness of cardiac rehabilitation on patients resuscitated from cardiac arrest due to acute myocardial infarction.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study included 23 subjects, including 8 with history of cardiac arrest and 15 without history of cardiac arrest. Both groups underwent initial graded exercise test (GXT) and subsequent cardiac rehabilitation for 6 weeks. After 6 weeks, both groups received follow-up GXT.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Statistically significant (p<0.05) increase of VO2peak and maximal MVO2 but significant (p<0.05) decrease of submaximal MVO2 and resting heart rate were observed in both groups after 6 weeks of cardiac rehabilitation. An increasing trend of maximal heart rates was observed in both groups. However, the increase was not statistically significant (p>0.05). There was no statistically significant change of resting heart rate, maximal heart rate, maximal MVO2, or submaximal MVO2 in both groups after cardiac rehabilitation. Fatal cardiac complications, such as abnormal ECG, cardiac arrest, death or myocardial infarction, were not observed. All subjects finished the cardiac rehabilitation program.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Improvement was observed in the exercise capacity of patients after aerobic exercise throughout the cardiac rehabilitation program. Therefore, cardiac rehabilitation can be safely administered for high-risk patients with history of cardiac arrest. Similar improvement in exercise capacity can be expected in patients without cardiac arrest experience.
authors.affiliation: Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Inje University Sanggye Paik Hospital, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Chul
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Inje University Sanggye Paik Hospital, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Heejin
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Jung
authors.affiliation: Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Inje University Haeundae Paik Hospital, Busan, Korea.
authors.forename: Hee Eun
authors.initials: HE
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.affiliation: Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Inje University Sanggye Paik Hospital, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Seong Hoon
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Kang
keywords: Cardiac arrest; Myocardial infarction; Rehabilitation