May 2010
Study looks at long-term cardiac care
More than 90 patients have
already been enrolled in the phase three cardiac rehabilitation pilot project
after staff identified a gap in follow-up care for people who have experienced
heart attacks, cardiac surgery or heart failure.
The study, which is a joint
initiative of the cardiac rehabilitation unit and Caulfield Community Health
Service, aims to provide the first formal evaluation in Australia of
longer-term exercise and ongoing support and education.
Cardiac Rehabilitation Unit
Nurse Manager Lynn O’Neill said literature indicated phase three cardiac
rehabilitation programs led to reductions in mortality, morbidity and
re-admissions with improvement in cardiac risk factors and quality of life.
Patients are invited to take
part in the study on the completion of their outpatient cardiac
rehabilitation program.
Researchers aim to enrol 120 patients
and they are randomised to either a control or an intervention group.
The control group receives usual
home exercise guidelines while the intervention group attend scheduled exercise
sessions at the Healthy Living Centre, a monthly support group and a monthly
coach phone call.
The study, which aims to inform best practice in cardiac rehabilitation, is expected to be completed early next year.
