The Effect of Home-Based Cardiac Rehabilitation on Functional Capacity, Behavior, and Risk Factors in Patients with Acute Coronary Syndrome in China

Abstract

Aim: To investigate the effect of home-based cardiac rehabilitation on functional capacity, health behavior, and risk factors in patients with acute coronary syndrome in China. Methods: Eighty patients with acute coronary syndrome were enrolled in this prospective randomized controlled study. Patients in the cardiac rehabilitation group (n=52) received home-based cardiac rehabilitation with a heart manual and a home exercise video for 3 months and patients in the control group (n=28) received only routine secondary prevention. The 6-min walk distance, laboratory test results, healthy behavior (questionnaire), quality of life (12-item Short Form Health Survey), anxiety (7-item Generalized Anxiety Disorder Questionnaire), and depression (9-item Patient Health Questionnaire) were evaluated at the beginning and after treatment for 3 months. Results: Compared with baseline data, 52 patients who participated in cardiac rehabilitation had longer 6-min walk distance (515.26±113.74 m vs 0.445.30±97.92 m, P<0.0002), higher proportions of “always exercise” (78.26% vs. 28%, P<0.05), “always limit food with sugar” (65.22% vs 12%, P<0.05), “always eat fruits 200–400 g every day” (82.61% vs. 4%, P<0.05). and “always eat vegetables 300–500 g every day” (21.74% vs. 12%, P<0.06) after treatment for 3 months. The low-density lipoprotein cholesterol control rate (52.17% vs. 28%, P<0.05) and the systolic blood pressure control rate (100% vs. 68%, P<0.05) were also significantly increased after treatment for 3 months in the cardiac rehabilitation group. No significant increase was found in the control group after treatment for 3 months. No cardiac-event related to home exercise was reported in both groups. Conclusion: Home-based cardiac rehabilitation is a feasible and available cardiac rehabilitation mode in China.