The Impacts of Cardiac Rehabilitation Program on Exercise Capacity, Quality of Life, and Functional Status of Coronary Artery Disease Patients with Left Ventricular Dysfunction

Abstract

Purpose: To determine the impacts of cardiac rehabilitation on exercise capacity, quality of life (QOL), and functional status in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD). Design: Self-controlled clinical trial. Methods: CAD patients with mild to moderate left ventricular dysfunction participated in an exercise-based rehabilitation program for eight consecutive weeks. Subjects underwent an exercise test before and 8 weeks after rehabilitation. QOL was assessed with the SF-36 questionnaire. Functional status was assessed in terms of sleep time, walking, cycling, exercise, and working duration. Findings: Seventy patients (age = 57.5 +/- 10.2 years, 77.1 male) were studied. After rehabilitation, peak exercise capacity increased from 8.00 +/- 2.56 to 10.08 +/- 3.00 METs (p < .001) and exercise duration increased from 14.17 +/- 5.27 to 17.21 +/- 5.85 minutes (p < .001). Patients' QOL improved in physical and psychological dimensions (p < .05). Cycling, walking, and exercising status significantly increased after the study (p < .05). Conclusions: Cardiac rehabilitation improves exercise capacity, QOL, and functional status of CAD patients with mild to moderate left ventricular dysfunction. Clinical Relevance: Cardiac rehabilitation practitioners should encourage patients to attend to and be compliant in the rehabilitation programs.