Dance Therapy as an Alternative for Cardiac Rehabilitation in Women Population

Dance Therapy as an Alternative for Cardiac Rehabilitation in Women Population: Autonomic and Hemodynamic Acute Responses - A Crossover Clinical Trial

This research project aims to investigate the acute effects of a dance-based cardiac rehabilitation session in the cardiovascular system and autonomic modulation of women with cardiac risk factors. Also, as a secondary outcome, to compare the cardiovascular and autonomic responses of the dance-based session to a conventional exercise-based session.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Hemodynamically stable

• Previously attending exercise-based cardiac rehabilitation and dance classes for at least 3 months

• Do not present orthopedics or neurologic impairments that could preclude the execution of dance movements

• To be previously diagnosed with at least one of the following cardiac risk factors:

  1. Age ≥ 55 years
  2. Family history: Known myocardial infarction, coronary revascularization, or sudden death in the first-degree relatives before 55 years in male or 65 years in female relatives
  3. Hypertension: values of systolic blood pressure (SBP) equal to or higher than 140 mmHg and/or values of diastolic blood pressure (DBP) equal to or higher than 90 mmHg, or daily use of antihypertensive drugs
  4. Dyslipidemia: values of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) ≥ 130 mg.dL-1, or values of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) < 40 mg.dL-1, or daily use of lipid-lowering drugs
  5. Obesity: body mass index ≥ 30 Kg.m-2
  6. Cigarette smoking: former smokers for more than six months
  7. Diabetes Mellitus: fasting blood glucose level ≥ 100 mg.dL-1
  8. Physically inactivity: the volunteer will be considered physically inactivity when classified as "sedentary" or "irregularly active A or B" by the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ)
  9. Stress: the presence of stress will be evaluated by the Lipp's Stress Symptoms Inventory (LSSI), and the classifications "alert", "resistance", and "exhaustion" will be considered

Exclusion Criteria:

• Volunteers who present errors superior to 5% in the RR intervals time series
• Volunteers who do not attend all study phases