Rehabilitation in the Home Setting for Older Adults In the Early Period After Myocardial Infarction

Rehabilitation in the Home Setting for Older Adults In the Early Period After Myocardial Infarction

This pilot feasibility study will test whether a home-based cardiac rehabilitation intervention, using physical therapist visits combined with mobile health technology, will prevent decline in high-risk patients post acute myocardial infarction (AMI). Participants will be randomized to either an intervention arm (home-based physical therapy), or a control (usual care) arm. Prior to discharge, participants in the intervention arm will receive a 1-hour educational session by a research physical therapist that includes information on cardiac risk factor management, postoperative recovery, education on medication adherence, and a prescription for home exercise that is tailored to each patient's baseline abilities and limitations. Participants assigned to the control arm will receive a 30-minute counseling session on risk factor modification prior to discharge, in addition to usual care post-AMI.

All participants enrolled in this research study will receive the FDA-approved FitBit Flex, a wearable activity monitoring device which will objectively measure physical activity and sedentary behavior in the period post-hospital discharge. Daily activity monitoring will include: number of steps, distance traveled, calories burned, number of active minutes.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Clinical diagnosis of acute myocardial infarction (AMI).

Exclusion Criteria:

• moderate to severe cognitive impairment; non-ambulatory
• severe heart failure (NYHA Class IV); decisional impairment as assessed by the University of California
• San Diego Brief Assessment of Capacity to Consent (UBACC) 22, if the RC questions capacity; very limited life expectancy (e.g. anticipated discharge to hospice)
• non-English/non-Spanish speaking.