Cardiac rehabilitation in patients with peripheral arterial disease after revascularization.

Objectives: To evaluate safety, feasibility, and benefit of cardiac rehabilitation (CR) in patients with peripheral arterial disease (PAD) who undergo revascularization.

Methods: We conducted a prospective, non-randomized, pilot study to assess the feasibility, safety, and benefit of CR in PAD patients after revascularization compared to standard of care (controls). CR feasibility was assessed by the ability to complete 36 sessions.

Validity of a Submaximal 6-min Recumbent Stepper Test for Cardiac Rehabilitation.

Purpose: Submaximal exercise tests, such as the 6-min walk test (6MWT), are used to assess and determine changes in cardiorespiratory fitness in cardiopulmonary rehabilitation (CR) programs. However, other modalities such as recumbent steppers are frequently utilized in rehabilitation settings and suit individuals of all ability levels; yet, no self-paced submaximal test has been developed for this exercise modality. The aim of this study was to produce a self-paced, submaximal 6-min recumbent stepper test (6MRST) that is comparable with the 6MWT and can be used as pre- and post-CR assessments.

Differences in outcomes between patients treated with single- versus dual-chamber implantable cardioverter defibrillators: a substudy of the Multicenter Automatic Defibrillator Implantation Trial II.

Objectives: We sought to evaluate the influence of single- versus dual-chamber implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs) on the occurrence of heart failure and mortality as well as appropriate and inappropriate ICD therapy in the Multicenter Automatic Defibrillator Implantation Trial II (MADIT-II).

Background: In MADIT-II, ICD therapy in patients with a prior myocardial infarction and ejection fraction < or =0.30 was associated with a 31% reduction in risk of mortality when compared to conventionally treated patients.