Cardiac Rehabilitation in Austrian Outpatient Facilities.

Study Overview
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Brief Summary
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Cardiac rehabilitation (CR) is a key component of the treatment of cardiac diseases. The Austrian outpatient CR model is unique, as it provides patients with an extended professionally supervised, multidisciplinary program of 4-6 weeks of phase II (OUT-II) and 12 months of phase III (OUT-III) CR CR including a refresher. The aim of this retrospective analysis is to pool data from preferably all Austrian outpatient rehabilitation facilities and to analyze the efficacy of the Austrian cardiac rehabilitation model with a special focus on phase III. Data of patients who completed OUT-III between 1.1.2019 and 01.07.2022 will be analyzed. All patients undergo assessment of anthropometry, resting blood pressure, lipid profile, fasting blood glucose, exercise capacity, quality of life, anxiety and depression at the beginning (T1), in the middle (T2) and end of CR (T3).

Detailed Description
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Cardiac rehabilitation (CR) is a multidisciplinary therapeutic intervention aimed at regaining and maintaining long-term professional and social integration. Specialist societies classify cardiac rehabilitation with the highest recommendation level (Class I). The focal points of therapy in cardiac rehabilitation include health education, optimization of risk factors through psycho-social counseling and structured physical training. The four-tier Austrian model of cardiac rehabilitation consists of phase I, which takes place in the acute care hospital directly after a cardiac event or intervention/surgery. Phase II ideally follows immediately and lasts 3-4 weeks as an inpatient or alternatively 6 weeks as an outpatient CR. In the subsequent phase III patients ideally transfer knowledge and skills gained during rehabilitation into their daily lives. Supervised outpatient training is carried out once or twice a week for 6 months and takes part in psycho-social and physical health training courses. This is followed by a 3-6 months lasting home phase in which patients to follow the agreed-on lifestyle changes on their own, while documenting successes and problems. After this home phase, the Austrian model provides a refresher consisting of two guided outpatient training sessions as well as psychological consultation and a medical examination including a stress test. The refresher must be completed within a maximum of four weeks and is a unique feature of the Austrian model, aiming to achieve sustainable lifestyle modification. The patient-financed and life-long phase IV begins no later than 18 months after the start of phase II. Its aim is to achieve an improvement in the prognosis through lifelong, autonomous and self-responsible behavior and long-term prevention. The aim of this retrospective analysis is to pool data from preferably all Austrian outpatient rehabilitation facilities and to analyze the efficacy of the Austrian cardiac rehabilitation model with a special focus on phase III.

Official Title
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Evaluation of Outpatient Cardiac Rehabilitation in Austrian Outpatient Facilities.

Conditions
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Cardiovascular Diseases

Intervention / Treatment
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* Behavioral: Lifestyle modification


Participation Criteria
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Eligibility Criteria
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Inclusion Criteria: Any patient who meets inclusion criteria for outpatient cardiac rehabilitation in Austria Exclusion Criteria: Patients are excluded, if they don't meet the inclusion criteria.

Ages Eligible for Study
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Minimum Age: 18 Years

Sexes Eligible for Study
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All

Study Plan
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How is the study designed?
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Arms and Interventions

| Intervention/Treatment |
| --- |
|Behavioral: Lifestyle modification|50min of endurance combined with 50min of strength training; 1-2 sessions/week for 6 month, follow up after 3-6month|

What is the study measuring?
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Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Change from baseline in physical work capacity (PWC) in phase III rehabilitation | PWC is measured during a graded exercise test on a cycle ergometer at begin and end of outpatient cardiac rehabilitation | 12months | 
| Change from baseline in physical work capacity (PWC) within the first 6month of Phase III | PWC is measured during a graded exercise test on a cycle ergometer at begin and midtime of outpatient cardiac rehabilitation | 3-6months | 

Secondary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Change from baseline in LDL-Cholesterol in Phase III rehabilitation | Venous blood samples are drawn to assess Cholesterol at the start and end of Phase III rehabilitation | 12months | 
| Change from baseline in Triglycerides in Phase III rehabilitation | Venous blood samples are drawn to assess Triglycerides at the begin and end of Phase III | 12months | 
| Change from baseline in Glucose in Phase III rehabilitation | Venous blood samples are drawn to assess Triglycerides at the begin and end of Phase III | 12months | 

 Terms related to the study
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Keywords Provided by Centre Hospitalier Valida
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cardiac rehabilitation, exercise training, lifestyle modification, coronary-artery-disease, myocardial infarction