© 2005 European Society of Cardiology
Randomised controlled trial of cardiac rehabilitation in elderly patients with heart failure
a Gwent Healthcare Trust, Nevill Hall Hospital Abergavenny, Monmouthshire, NP7 9SA, United Kingdom
b School of Care Sciences, University of Glamorgan Pontypridd, United Kingdom
* Corresponding author. Tel.: +44 1873 732945; fax: +44 1873 732748. E-mail address: jackie.austin{at}gwent.wales.nhs.uk
 |
Abstract |
|---|
Background: Heart failure, a condition predominantly affecting the elderly, represents an ever-increasing clinical and financial burden for the NHS. Cardiac rehabilitation, a service that incorporates patient education, exercise training and lifestyle modification, requires further evaluation in heart failure management.
Aim: The aim of this study was to determine whether a cardiac rehabilitation programme improved on the outcomes of an outpatient heart failure clinic (standard care) for patients, over 60 years of age, with chronic heart failure.
Methods: Two hundred patients (60–89 years, 66% male) with New York Heart Association (NYHA) II or III heart failure confirmed by echocardiography were randomised. Both standard care and experimental groups attended clinic with a cardiologist and specialist nurse every 8 weeks. Interventions included exercise prescription, education, dietetics, occupational therapy and psychosocial counselling. The main outcome measures were functional status (NYHA, 6-min walk), health-related quality of life (MLHF and EuroQol) and hospital admissions.
Results: There were significant improvements in MLHF and EuroQol scores, NYHA classification and 6-min walking distance (meters) at 24 weeks between the groups (p<0.001). The experimental group had fewer admissions (11 vs. 33, p<0.01) and spent fewer days in hospital (41 vs. 187, p<0.001).
Conclusions: Cardiac rehabilitation, already widely established in the UK, offers an effective model of care for older patients with heart failure.
Key Words: Heart failure • Elderly • Cardiac rehabilitation • Functional status • Health-related quality of life • Multidisciplinary intervention
Received June 22, 2004; Revised July 26, 2004; Accepted October 14, 2004
CiteULike 
Connotea 
Del.icio.us What's this?
This article has been cited by other articles:
|
|
 |
|
  L. Evans, H. Probert, and C. Shuldham Cardiac rehabilitation - Past to Present Journal of Research in Nursing, May 1, 2009; 14(3): 223 - 240. [Abstract] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 K. Jolly, R. S. Taylor, G. Y.H. Lip, M. Davies, R. Davis, J. Mant, S. Singh, S. Greenfield, J. Ingram, J. Stubley, et al. A randomized trial of the addition of home-based exercise to specialist heart failure nurse care: the Birmingham Rehabilitation Uptake Maximisation study for patients with Congestive Heart Failure (BRUM-CHF) study Eur J Heart Fail, February 1, 2009; 11(2): 205 - 213. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 M.-K. Tai, J. C. Meininger, and L. Q. Frazier A Systematic Review of Exercise Interventions in Patients With Heart Failure Biol Res Nurs, October 1, 2008; 10(2): 156 - 182. [Abstract] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 R. J. Thomas, M. King, K. Lui, N. Oldridge, I. L. Pina, J. Spertus, R. O. Bonow, N.A. M. Estes III, D. C. Goff, K. L. Grady, et al. AACVPR/ACC/AHA 2007 Performance Measures on Cardiac Rehabilitation for Referral to and Delivery of Cardiac Rehabilitation/Secondary Prevention Services: Endorsed by the American College of Chest Physicians, American College of Sports Medicine, American Physical Therapy Association, Canadian Association of Cardiac Rehabilitation, European Association for Cardiovascular Prevention and Rehabilitation, Inter-American Heart Foundation, National Association of Clinical Nurse Specialists, Preventive Cardiovascular Nurses Association, and the Society of Thoracic Surgeons J. Am. Coll. Cardiol., October 2, 2007; 50(14): 1400 - 1433. [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|