Abstract

TAVARES, Nuno et al. The effect of an exercise program on the quality of life of patients with heart diseases. Rev. Port. Sau. Pub. [online]. 2013, vol.31, n.1, pp.03-10. ISSN 0870-9025.  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rpsp.2012.12.002.

The public health policies and the cardiac rehabilitation program, together with physical exercise, are essential in the care provided to heart patients, allowing the restoration of the patient to society or regaining of the status as a person in the community and increasing their quality of live. Objective To apply the supervised exercise (SE group) in the early outpatient phase, to analyze and compare the results of this application with the data obtained by the patients receiving conventional treatment (usual care group). Method The study lasted more than three months, dividing the cardiac patients into two groups (supervised exercise (SE) vs. conventional treatment (usual care)), which were presented, through informed consent, with the purpose and procedures of the study. After division, patients subjected to physical exercise (SE group) underwent a structured intervention plan in three phases initial, improvement and maintenance combining the frequency, intensity, time and type of exercise, according to the stratification due risk and recommendations of the American Association of Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Rehabilitation (AACVPR). Patients underwent two evaluations at the Hospital of Vila Franca de Xira, using the questionnaire MacNew to assess the quality of life related to the heart disease condition. The mean and standard deviation were evaluated for all the variables under study using the non-parametric and parametric tests for a significance level of alfa=0,05. Results There were significant differences observed between the groups, in terms of and overall quality of life (p < 0,01), as well as in the percentage changes obtained by the SE group (+53.86%). Conclusion The supervised exercise held in the community after hospital discharge, implied in early clinical phase, with at least a moderate intensity, enhances the quality of life in cardiac patients.

Keywords : Physical exercise; Cardiac rehabilitation; Quality of life.

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