Cardiac rehabilitation for coronary patients: lifestyle, risk factor and therapeutic management. Results from the EUROASPIRE II survey

Abstract

Aims The aim of this study is to describe lifestyle and risk factor management, together with the use of prophylactic drug therapies, from the EUROASPIRE II survey in patients participating in cardiac rehabilitation programmes (CRP) compared to those who do not. Methods and results 5540 consecutive coronary patients from 47 centres in 15 countries were interviewed and examined about 1.4 years after hospital discharge for CABG, PTCA, AMI or myocardial ischaemia. 43.0% reported being advised to attend a CRP and of these 81.8% did so; 35.2% of all patients. Comparing coronary patients who participated in CRP with those who did not the prevalences of the following risk factors were all lower: smoking (18.7% vs 22.4%); obesity (28.2% vs 33.0%); raised blood pressure (48.8% vs 51.4%); and raised cholesterol (55.0% vs 60.2%); and prescriptions for prophylactic drug therapies were all higher: anti-platelets (89.8% vs 83.8%); beta-blockers (68.2% vs 60.0%); and lipid-lowering drugs (67.9% vs 57.0%). Conclusions Only one third of all coronary patients reported attending a CRP. Although the prevalence of risk factors and use of prophylactic drug therapies is better in those who attended a CRP many patients had still not achieved the lifestyle and risk factor targets. The potential for comprehensive cardiovascular prevention and rehabilitation is considerable.