Modified programme of in-patient (phase I) cardiac rehabilitation after acute myocardial infarction

A group of 61 men who suffered from myocardial infarction (MI) were divided into two groups: group A (31 patients post MI, one day at intensive care unit (ICU), no beta-blockers, physical therapy according to a seven-day programme) and group B (30 patients post MI, two days at ICU, with beta-blockers, physical therapy according to a seven-day programme). Results from both groups were compared with a control group (C) (38 patients post MI, three days at ICU, physical therapy according to a longer ten-day graded programme). The objective of this study was to assess the efficacy of a proposed modified rehabilitation programme in patients after acute MI on the basis of a submaximal stress test performed on a cycle ergometer and to find out which stress test parameters might be used for the selection of an appropriate phase 2 rehabilitation programme. The performed analysis of correlation between exercise and resting parameters showed statistical relevancy with regard to systolic blood pressure in group A. Maximal load (WATs), metabolic cost (METs), maximal heart rate (beats/min), stress-test time (T-test) and time of normalization for the exercise parameters (t(n)) are the parameters of the stress test that should be taken into consideration for appropriate selection of an out-patient (phase 2) rehabilitation programme.