Reducing Sedentary Time in Patients With Heart Failure

Reducing Sedentary Time in Patients With Heart Failure

To determine the change in sedentary time and number of steps/day for older patients with heart failure at risk for mobility disability who receive a program to decrease sedentary behavior versus a standard program to increase exercise.

Inclusion Criteria:

• NYHA II-IV,

• Age ≥ 65,

• SPPB score of > 4 and ≤ 10 of 12,

  • and deemed (by 1° cardiologist) to be at maximal tolerated dose of heart failure medication (ACE-inhibitor (ACE-I)/angiotensin receptor blocker and beta blocker (BB) for patients with HF with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF), and
  • blood pressure controlled for HF with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) according to the American Heart Failure Association HF guidelines.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Patients requiring medication titration such as ACE-I or BB, (will return to their cardiologist and be eligible after 3 months of stable medication.)
• Oxygen dependent lung disease,
• Orthopedic or neurologic disease that severely limits mobility,
• Active cancer diagnosis except non-melanoma skin cancer,
• Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS) score of ≥ 9 ,
• Limited life-expectancy of <6 months,
• Known dementia or disease that effects ability to learn/follow directions, or
• Failed MiniCog test.