Development and application of a home-based exercise program for patients with left ventricular dysfunction: A pilot study

Background Cardiac rehabilitation (CR) is recommended for patients with cardiovascular disease. However, the participation and completion rates for hospital-based CR are low, and home-based CR has been suggested as an alternative. This study aimed to develop a home-based CR program and assess its feasibility over a 6-week period in patients with left ventricular dysfunction or a history of myocardial infarction (MI). Methods The study consisted of two parts: Pilot Study 1 focused on developing an exercise protocol, while Study 2 aimed to assess the feasibility of a 6-week home-based CR program. Eight patients participated in Study 1 and 16 participated in Study 2. The home-based CR exercise program in Study 2 was developed based on the results of Study 1 and included two exercise education sessions and four telephone counseling sessions. Results Participants expressed overall satisfaction with the exercise program in Study 1. Heart rate increased in response to exercise, but this did not correspond with perceived exertion. In Study 2, 13 out of 16 participants (81.3%) completed the 6-week home-based CR program, with a participation rate of 100% in both exercise education and phone counseling sessions. Adherence to the exercise protocol was 83.1% and no serious adverse events were observed. At the beginning of the study, only three out of 13 participants (23.1%) met the requirements for both aerobic and resistance exercises, but at the end of the 6-week program, 10 out of 13 participants (76.9%) fulfilled the requirements. Conclusion The exercise program developed in this study was safe and feasible, and the 6-week home-based CR program was feasible and effective in increasing the physical activity levels of patients with left ventricular dysfunction without any reported adverse effects.