eHealth-based Cardiac Rehabilitation in Post-myocardial Infarction Patients

The Effectiveness of eHealth-based Cardiac Rehabilitation in Post-myocardial Infarction Patients：a Randomized Controlled Trial.

The goal of this randomized controlled trial is to compare the effect of eHealth-based cardiac rehabilitation with the effect of usual care on exercise capacity and qualify of life in patients after myocardial infarction.

Cardiac rehabilitation can improve exercise capacity, life of quality, readmission rate and mortality rate for patients after myocardial infarction. International guidelines list cardiac rehabilitation after myocardial infarction as class IA recommendation. However, low participation rate of cardiac rehabilitation due to barriers such as lacking of time, transport or affordability issues is an unsolved problem worldwide.

eHealth, consisting of telemedicine, mobile health and personalized care using wearable devices has the potential to remove the barriers and become an effective model to deliver cardiac rehabilitation. Thus, we design a randomized controlled trial to compare the effect of a case manager-led eHealth-based cardiac rehabilitation program with usual care on the compliance, physical activity, quality of life, and cardiorespiratory fitness in patients after myocardial infarction.

Inclusion criteria:

1. ≥ 20 years of age.
2. Within 6 months after the onset of acute myocardial infarction.
3. At lowest to moderate risk according to the guideline from American Association of Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Rehabilitation.
4. Unable or refused to attend center-based cardiac rehabilitation.

Exclusion criteria:

1. Unable to walk independently or use a stationary bike.
2. Unable to follow verbal command.
3. Not having a smartphone which can get on the internet.
4. Having contraindications for exercise according to American College of Sports Medicine's Guidelines for Exercise Testing and Prescription.
5. Unable to provide informed consent.