A survey of 170 European cardiac centres found that 40% do not implement exercise training programmes for heart failure patients, primarily due to a lack of resources.
Cross-Sectional (n=77,214)
Yes
Are exercise training programmes implemented in European cardiac centres for heart failure patients?
Despite being a highly recommended therapy, exercise training programmes are still not implemented in 40% of European cardiac centres, primarily due to resource and logistical constraints.
AIMS: In heart failure (HF), exercise training programmes (ETPs) are a well-recognized intervention to improve symptoms, but are still poorly implemented. The Heart Failure Association promoted a survey to investigate whether and how cardiac centres in Europe are using ETPs in their HF patients. METHODS AND RESULTS: The co-ordinators of the HF working groups of the countries affiliated to the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) distributed and promoted the 12-item web-based questionnaire in the key cardiac centres of their countries. Forty-one country co-ordinators out of the 46 contacted replied to our questionnaire (89%). This accounted for 170 cardiac centres, responsible for 77,214 HF patients. The majority of the participating centres (82%) were general cardiology units and the rest were specialized rehabilitation units or local health centres. Sixty-seven (40%) centres responsible for 36,385 (48%) patients did not implement an ETP. This was mainly attributed to the lack of resources (25%), largely due to lack of staff or lack of financial provision. The lack of a national or local pathway for such a programme was the reason in 13% of the cases, and in 12% the perceived lack of evidence on safety or benefit was cited. When implemented, an ETP was proposed to all HF patients in only 55% of the centres, with restriction according to severity or aetiology. CONCLUSIONS: With respect to previous surveys, there is evidence of increased availability of ETPs in HF in Europe, although too many patients are still denied a highly recommended therapy, mainly due to lack of resources or logistics.
Piepoli et al. (Mon,) conducted a cross-sectional in Heart failure (n=77,214). Exercise training programmes (ETPs) was evaluated on Implementation of exercise training programmes. A survey of 170 European cardiac centres found that 40% do not implement exercise training programmes for heart failure patients, primarily due to a lack of resources.
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