Outpatient cardiac rehabilitation - One-year results

After acute hospital therapy of myocardial infarction or bypass surgery the patient in Germany will be treated using an inpatient rehabilitation progr amme for 3-4 weeks. One year later only 10% of them are still active in out patients groups. In our study 61 cardiac patients performed an one-year out patient rehabilitation (instead of 4 weeks inpatient) programme with intens e supervised exercise and behaviour therapy. The money input per patient wa s the same for the usual care 4 weeks inpatient (6000 DM) as for 1 year out patient rehabilitation (5800 DM). The exercise capacity per heartrate-blood pressure-product was increased by 43 % (p > 0.01) after 12 months. The max imum exercise capacity was reached in the 57th week. Without increased medi cal treatment, cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol were reduced after 12 months by 3.9% down to 195+/-25mg/dl or by 6.6% down to 122+/- 21 mg/dl, respecti vely (n.s.). HDL-cholesterol increased by 2.8 % to 48 +/- 8 mg/dl In. s.). This study shows results similar to outpatient rehabilitation programmes in the United States or in Sweden. The long intervention time and the intensi ty are main factors for the success of cardiac rehabilitation and patient h ealth. Financial resources should primarly be concentrated on long-term out patient rehabilitation programmes.