Key result
Cardiac rehab at least weekly is linked to improved exercise tolerance versus less frequent sessions.
Why the study?
Although exercise-based cardiac rehabilitation is recommended at least three times weekly, high-frequency visits are often difficult, and the association between rehabilitation frequency and improved exercise tolerance is not well known.
Does participating in an exercise-based cardiac rehabilitation program once a week or more improve exercise tolerance in outpatients with cardiovascular disease?
Observational (n=110)
Does participating in an exercise-based cardiac rehabilitation program once a week or more improve exercise tolerance in outpatients with cardiovascular disease?
Participating in cardiac rehabilitation at least once a week is sufficient to significantly improve exercise tolerance and cardiopulmonary exercise test parameters in outpatients with cardiovascular disease.
Answers are grounded in this paper and cite their sources.
May support once-weekly cardiac rehabilitation for exercise tolerance gains; hypothesis-generating and leaves optimal frequency open for RCTs.
Background: Exercise-based cardiac rehabilitation (CR) programs are recommended in outpatients at least three times a week, but high-frequency visits can be difficult due to patients’ work schedules. The association between the frequency of exercise-based CR and the increase in exercise tolerance is not well known. We evaluated the effect of CR once a week or more for improving exercise tolerance. Methods: This is a retrospective observational study. From February 2011 to January 2020, 110 outpatients who participated in CR and performed a cardiopulmonary exercise test (CPET) two times (initially and within 6 months) were registered. We divided the patients into those who participated in CR once a week or more (n = 75) and less than once a week (n = 35) and compared the changes in the results of CPET. Results: Overall, the median patient age was 68.5 (59–74) years, 69.1% were males, and the body mass index was 23.8 (20.2–27.4) kg/m 2 . The average frequency of CR was 1.54 (0.93–1.89) times per week. While patients who participated in CR once a week or more showed improvements in oxygen uptake, ventilatory equivalent, ventilatory efficiency, and oxygen uptake per heart rate, those who participated in CR less than once a week showed only small improvements. The ratio of oxygen uptake to work rate in patients who participated in CR once a week or more also improved significantly. Conclusions: Patients who participated in a CR program once a week or more showed improved exercise tolerance.
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Bando et al. (2026) conducted an observational in Cardiovascular disease (n=110). Cardiac rehabilitation ≥1 time per week vs. Cardiac rehabilitation <1 time per week was evaluated on Changes in cardiopulmonary exercise test (CPET) results. Participating in a cardiac rehabilitation program once a week or more improved exercise tolerance, including oxygen uptake and ventilatory efficiency, compared to less frequent participation.
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