Pharmacological Therapy Adherence: A Poorly Explored Benefit of Cardiac Rehabilitation

Fabio Akio Nishijuka,Claudio Gil Soares De Araújo

doi:10.5935/2359-4802.20160001

Abstract

A few decades ago, participation in cardiac rehabilitation programs (CRP) or supervised exercise (SEP) programs has been recommended as an important part in the secondary prevention of coronary artery disease (CAD)1-3. As pointed out in a recent editorial, CRP and SEP have been shown to be beneficial not only in CAD, but also in at least 20 other abnormal conditions or cardiovascular diseases4. Although there is substantial evidence of many physiological, psychological, clinical and epidemiological benefits from participating in CRP or SEP5,6, a little explored aspect is that patients who regularly attend these programs can more accurately follow the medications prescribed by their doctors, that is, they can present greater adherence to the drug treatment (ADT).

Highlights

A few decades ago, participation in cardiac rehabilitation programs (CRP) or supervised exercise (SEP) programs has been recommended as an important part in the secondary prevention of coronary artery disease (CAD)[1,2,3]
Previous studies have shown that patients who were enrolled in a CRP had greater control of smoking and colesterol[24]
Some studies have suggested that low adherence to CRP may be more related to hospital readmissions, regular use of antidepressants, obesity, physical inactivity and older age[25,26]

Summary

Introduction

A few decades ago, participation in cardiac rehabilitation programs (CRP) or supervised exercise (SEP) programs has been recommended as an important part in the secondary prevention of coronary artery disease (CAD)[1,2,3]. There is substantial evidence of many physiological, psychological, clinical and epidemiological benefits from participating in CRP or SEP5,6, a little explored aspect is that patients who regularly attend these programs can more accurately follow the medications prescribed by their doctors, that is, they can present greater adherence to the drug treatment (ADT). Participation in cardiac rehabilitation programs (CRP) or supervised exercise programs (SEP) is strongly recommended in the secondary prevention of coronary artery disease (CAD). Conclusion: Regular participants of SEP conducted in a private clinic showed a high rate of ADT This may be related to medical assessment completed just before starting the exercise sessions. The high ADT appears to be an additional and important benefit of regularly attending the SEP, which had not have its clinical and epidemiological potential properly explored

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