Characteristics and correlates of disease-related knowledge and exercise self-efficacy among cardiac patients attending virtual cardiac rehabilitation during the first COVID-19 lockdown in Peru.

BACKGROUND: Government responses and restrictions due to the COVID-19 pandemic (e.g., limits to non-urgent health care services, including non-urgent outpatient appointments) led to the suspension of center-based (in-person) cardiac rehabilitation (CR), with many programs switching to virtual delivery. This study aimed to understand the characteristics and correlates of disease-related knowledge and exercise self-efficacy in a group of patients attending a virtual CR program during the first COVID-19 lockdown in Peru. METHODS: In this prospective observational study, 240 patients receiving virtual CR care (exercise instructions and patient education) between August/2020 and December/2021 completed questionnaires pre- and post-CR assessing disease-related knowledge (CADE-Q SV questionnaire) and self-efficacy (SE; Bandura's Exercise SE scale). Paired t tests were used to investigate changes pre/post-CR and Pearson correlation coefficients were used to determine the association between knowledge/SE and patients' characteristics. RESULTS: Participants were mainly comprised of men, with a cardiac diagnosis of stable coronary artery disease, who underwent percutaneous coronary intervention or had a known diagnosis of hypertension and with at least one cardiovascular risk factor (95.8%). Mean total knowledge scores improved significantly at post-CR (12.9 ± 2.4 to 15.6 ± 2.0/20; p<0.001), as well as in 4/5 knowledge areas (cardiovascular risk factors, exercise, nutrition, and psychosocial risk; p<0.001). Mean SE scores improved significantly at post-CR (1.9 ± 0.9 to 3.0 ± 0.9/5; p = 0.01). Post-CR knowledge and SE were significantly correlated with cardiac diagnosis and surgical procedures (r = 0.17, p = 0.02 and r = 0.27, p = 0.02, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: The virtual CR program improved disease-related knowledge and SE of cardiac patients during the first months of the COVID-19 pandemic. Post-CR outcomes were correlated with cardiac diagnosis and surgical procedures and more research with other characteristics is warrantied.

[Cardiac tele-rehabilitation in times of pandemic. Experience at the National Cardiovascular Institute INCOR in Lima-Peru]. / Tele-rehabilitación cardiaca en tiempos de pandemia. Experiencia en el Instituto Nacional Cardiovascular-INCOR.

Objective: Cardiac Rehabilitation (CR) programs based on telehealth are an alternative in the context of a pandemic and represent an opportunity to continue in the intervention of cardiovascular diseases (CVD). The present study aims to evaluate the effect of a Cardiac Tele-Rehabilitation (CTR) program on quality of life, anxiety/depression index, exercise safety and Level Of disease awareness in patients discharged from a national referral institute in times of pandemic. Methods: A pre-experimental study in cardiac patients who entered the cardiac rehabilitation program at INCOR from August to December 2020. The study included low-risk patients who were administered a questionnaire (on cardiovascular disease, exercise safety, anxiety/depression, and quality of life) at the beginning and end of the program, which was applied through a virtual platform. Descriptive and comparative before-after analysis was used through hypothesis testing. Results: Sixty-four patients were included (71.9% male). The mean age was 63.6 ±11.1 years. Regarding exercise safety, an increase in the mean score was found after the application of the program (3.06 ± 0.8 to 3.18 ± 0.7, p=0.324). Concerning anxiety, the mean score was reduced from 8.61 to 4.75, while for depression, the reduction was from 7.27 to 2.92. Regarding the quality-of-life score, the global component improved from 111.48 to 127.92. Conclusions: The CTR program implemented through a virtual platform during the COVID-19 pandemic enhanced quality of life and decreased stress and depression in cardiac patients discharged from a national cardiovascular referral center.

Reducción del riesgo cardiovascular en trabajadores de un instituto de salud especializado mediante un programa de prevención cardiovascular / Reduction of cardiovascular risk in professionals from a specialized health institute by a cardiovascular preventive program

RESUMEN Introducción. Los programas de rehabilitación cardiovascular (PRC) representan una estrategia médico-sanitaria multidisciplinaria eficaz en la prevención y control de los problemas cardiovasculares. Objetivos. Evaluar el impacto de un PRC realizado en el espacio de trabajo, en la reducción del riesgo cardiovascular absoluto en los trabajadores de INCOR. Métodos. Estudio experimental. Se incluyó a 41 trabajadores con diferentes niveles de riesgo cardiovascular, evaluados previa y posteriormente a su participación en el PRC sobre su capacidad funcional, sus factores de riesgo cardiovascular y niveles de estrés. El programa de intervención en el trabajo consistió en 36 sesiones de actividad física controlada, consejería nutricional, consejería psicológica y evaluación de laboratorio. Resultados. Se redujo el riesgo cardiovascular global al nivel bajo en el 100% medido mediante el índice de Framingham y en la medición con el score ASCVD 2013, se eliminó el nivel de riesgo alto y el nivel intermedio se redujo de 17,5% a 10%. La capacidad funcional mejoró, incrementándose la clase funcional I de 19,5% a 90%. Los niveles de VLDL, LDL, colesterol total y triglicéridos se redujeron significativamente en la post-intervención, mientras que para el HDL, la proporción de trabajadores con valores no recomendables se incrementó al final de la intervención. Se encontró disminución significativa del nivel de estrés. Conclusiones. Un PRC puede ser implementado en el mismo ámbito laboral y mostrar su comprobada eficacia para reducir el riesgo cardiovascular y el estrés.

ABSTRACT Introduction. The cardiovascular rehabilitation programs (CRP) represent an effective multidisciplinary medical-health strategy in prevention and control of cardiovascular problems. Objective. To assess the impact of a CRP carried out in the workplace, in reducing absolute cardiovascular risk in INCOR workers. Methods. An experimental study. 41 workers with different levels of cardiovascular risk were included and were evaluated before and after their participation in the CRP on their functional capacity, cardiovascular risk factors and stress levels. The work intervention program consisted of 36 sessions of controlled physical activity, nutritional counseling, psychological counseling and laboratory evaluation. Results. The intervention get a reduction of the overall cardiovascular risk to the low level in all workers (100%), measured by the Framingham index and when it was measured with the ASCVD 2013 score, the high-risk level was eliminated and the intermediate level was reduced from 17,5% to 10%. The functional capacity shows an improvement, with an increase of cardiovascular risk level I from 19,5% to 90%. Blood lipids levels as VLDL, LDL, total cholesterol and triglycerides were significantly reduced in the post-intervention. Contrarily, in the HDL levels, the proportion of workers with non-recommended values increased to the end of the intervention. Finally, the CRP showed effectiveness in reducing workers' stress. Conclusion. A CRP could to be implemented on workplace and it shows effectiveness in reducing cardiovascular risk and stress.