title: Exercise-based cardiac rehabilitation increases daily physical activity of patients following myocardial infarction: subanalysis of two randomised controlled trials.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the effects of an exercise-based cardiac rehabilitation programme on daily physical activity levels of patients following myocardial infarction.
  
  
  METHODS
  Subanalysis of two randomised, prospective controlled trials.
  
  
  METHODS
  Outpatient clinic of a secondary hospital.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fifty consecutive patients randomised to the exercise group {n=25; 23 males; mean age 54 [standard deviation (SD) 9] years} or the control group [n=25; 20 males; mean age 58 (SD 9) years].
  
  
  METHODS
  The exercise group participated in an 8-week aerobic exercise programme plus usual medical care and follow-up. The control group received usual medical care and follow-up.
  
  
  METHODS
  The primary outcome measure was change in time spent undertaking moderate-to-vigorous physical activity per day, assessed by accelerometer over 7 consecutive days. Secondary outcome measures were cardiorespiratory fitness, body mass, and resting blood pressure and heart rate.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Moderate-to-vigorous physical activity levels increased significantly in the exercise group [43.2 (SD 36.3) to 53.5 (SD 31.9) minutes/day, P=0.030], and remained unchanged in the control group [40.8 (SD 26.2) to 36.8 (SD 26.5) minutes/day, P=0.241] from baseline to the end of the programme. Cardiorespiratory fitness increased significantly in the exercise group (mean difference 2.8; 95% of the difference 1.3 to 4.4ml/kg/minute, P=0.001) after the 8-week programme.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In patients under optimal medication following myocardial infarction, participation in an 8-week exercise-based cardiac rehabilitation programme was found to improve physical activity levels consistent with health-related benefits. Future studies are needed to determine whether the increase in physical activity is maintained in the long term.
authors.affiliation: School of Health Sciences and Institute of Biomedicine - iBiMED, University of Aveiro, Aveiro, Portugal. Electronic address: fernando.ribeiro@ua.pt.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ribeiro
authors.affiliation: Research Centre in Physical Activity, Health and Leisure, Faculty of Sport, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal.
authors.forename: N L
authors.initials: NL
authors.lastname: Oliveira
authors.affiliation: Research Centre in Physical Activity, Health and Leisure, Faculty of Sport, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal; Department of Sport, Higher Institute of Educational Sciences of Douro (ISCE Douro), Portugal.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Silva
authors.affiliation: Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Department, Centro Hospitalar de Gaia/Espinho, Vila Nova de Gaia, Portugal.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Campos
authors.affiliation: Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Department, Centro Hospitalar de Gaia/Espinho, Vila Nova de Gaia, Portugal.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Miranda
authors.affiliation: Cardiology Department, Centro Hospitalar de Gaia/Espinho, Vila Nova de Gaia, Portugal.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Teixeira
authors.affiliation: ISMAI - University Institute of Maia, Castêlo da Maia, Portugal.
authors.forename: A J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Alves
authors.affiliation: Research Centre in Physical Activity, Health and Leisure, Faculty of Sport, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Oliveira
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000502:physiology; D015992:Body Mass Index; D000072038:Cardiac Rehabilitation / Q000379:methods*; D000072599:Cardiorespiratory Fitness / Q000502:physiology*; D005081:Exercise Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011788:Quality of Life
keywords: Accelerometry; Cardiac rehabilitation; Coronary artery disease; Exercise; Physical activity