The effectiveness of cardiac rehabilitation program to enhance quality of life on patients with post myocardial infarction

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: Myocardial infarction is a life threatening heart disease and a major public health problem all over the world. Every 29 second an American suffers a coronary disease event and approximately every one minute some one die with coronary disease. In India the prevalence rate of myocardial infarction among males in urban area 65/1000, in rural area 27/1000 and for female in urban area 47/1000, in rural area 17/1000 .The risk of myocardial infarction in Indians is 6 times higher than Chinese and 20 times higher than Japanese. WHO report Global atlas (2011) an estimated 17.3 million people died from CAD in 2008 and 80% of CAD deaths take place in low-and middle-economical countries. There is a steep increase in prevalence of coronary artery disease in urban areas in India. METHODS: A quantitative research approach was used to determine the effect of Cardiac rehabilitation program on quality of life among patients with Myocardial Infarction. Design was quasi experimental. The study was conducted at KMCH, Chennai. The sample size comprised of 100 patients with myocardial infarction who fulfilled the inclusive criteria. DISCUSSION: In pretest, 41.0% of patients had poor adherence and 59% of them had average adherence and none of them had good/excellent adherence. In post test, 24.0% of patients had good adherence and 76.0% of them had excellent adherence, none of them had poor / average adherence. Hence cardiac rehabilitation improves the level of adherence. In pretest, 81.0% of patients had average quality of life and 19% of them had good quality of life and none of them having poor / excellent quality of life. In post test, 18.0% of patients had good quality of life, 82.0% of them had excellent quality of life, none of them having poor/average QOL. CONCLUSION: CRP can improve cardiac status with enhanced quality of life and functional status, reduce hospitalization, recurrent MI and long-term mortality. However, provided high level of adherence is obtained through effective cardiac rehabilitation programme.