Correlation between Participation in a Cardiac Rehabilitation Program and Quality of Life of Patients with Coronary Artery Disease

PURPOSE: To examine the correlation between participation in a cardiac rehabilitation (CR) program and quality of life (QoL). DESIGN: A prospective study of patients with coronary artery disease (CAD). METHODS: Participants completed questionnaires before and after a 3-month CR program. Patients were surveyed using a cardiac history evaluation and the MacNew Heart Disease Health-Related QoL questionnaire. FINDINGS: Of those eligible, only 14% of the participants were women and 7% were of Arab ethnicity. Patients' QoL significantly improved following participation. Higher level of education was associated with improved QoL. Conversely, cardiac risk factor burden was associated with a decline in QoL. No association was found between cardiac risk stratification, age or religiosity and QoL. CONCLUSIONS: Improved QoL after CR program participation should raise awareness of the significant benefits of CR among healthcare professionals. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: CR for those patients with CAD should be implemented, with a focus on women and minorities.