Enroll Early to Improve Cardiac Rehab Attendance

In a small, single-site, randomized study, scheduling an appointment within 10 days of discharge significantly increased the likelihood of attendance.

Cardiac rehabilitation is known to reduce morbidity and mortality after myocardial infarction (MI) or coronary revascularization procedures; current guidelines recommend that patients be enrolled in rehabilitation within the first month after a cardiac event. However, fewer than 30% of MI patients in the U.S. engage in outpatient cardiac rehabilitation, and the average time from hospital discharge to enrollment is 5 weeks. In this single-site study, investigators assessed the association between time to enrollment and participation in cardiac rehabilitation.

A total of 148 patients with a nonsurgical qualifying diagnosis for cardiac rehabilitation were randomized to receive an appointment to an orientation session, at no cost, either within …

Reviewing Author

JoAnne M. Foody, MD

Disclosures

Consultant / Advisory boardAegerion; Amarin; Bristol-Myers Squibb; Janssen; Merck; Pfizer; Sanofi-Aventis; Boehringer Ingelheim

Leadership positions in professional societiesAmerican College of Cardiology, Cardiosmart (Co-chair)

JoAnne M. Foody, MD

Disclosures

Consultant / Advisory boardAegerion; Amarin; Bristol-Myers Squibb; Janssen; Merck; Pfizer; Sanofi-Aventis; Boehringer Ingelheim

Leadership positions in professional societiesAmerican College of Cardiology, Cardiosmart (Co-chair)