Exercise as a Life-long Medicine in Patients With Coronary Artery Disease

How to Enhance Physical Activity After Cardiac Rehabilitation? A Randomised Controlled Study Comparing Two Follow-up Training Exercise Programs

Exercise training is a core component in cardiac rehabilitation. Exercise adherence is, however, low after rehabilitation and the transition from supervised to unsupervised exercise is problematic for many patients with coronary artery disease. Therefore, it is important to provide extended services to improve exercise adherence and healthy lifestyle changes.

The aim of this study is to assess the effect of a time-limited intervention following out-patient cardiac rehabilitation on exercise adherence and cardiovascular risk reduction.

Inclusion Criteria:

• myocardial infarction, stable angina, heart surgery
• finished phase 2 cardiac rehabilitation
• clinically stable
• able to communicate in Norwegian
• able to do a maximal treadmill test

Exclusion Criteria:

• unstable angina
• serious cardiac arrhythmia
• serious heart valve insufficiency
• heart failure
• any contraindication for high intensity exercise training
• participation in other exercise study
• pregnancy
• cognitive impairment
• drug abuse