The rise and fall of cardiac rehabilitation in the United Kingdom since 1998.

Background: Provision of cardiac rehabilitation is inadequate in all countries in which it has been measured. This study assesses the provision in the United Kingdom and the changes between 1998 and 2004.

Methods: All UK cardiac rehabilitation programmes were surveyed annually.

NSF for CHD: 3 years of 12-month follow-up audit after cardiac rehabilitation.

Background: The coronary heart disease (CHD) National Service Framework (NSF) sets standards and milestones. For acute myocardial infarction (AMI) or coronary revascularization, 'Milestone 3, of Standard 12 requires that, by April 2002, every hospital should have clinical audit data no more than 12 months old showing 'total number and % of those recruited to cardiac rehabilitation who, one year after discharge, report: regular physical activity of at least 30 minutes duration on average five times a week, not smoking and a Body Mass Index (BMI) of <30 kg/m2'. This study looked at cost, method and practicalities of retrieving this data.

Psychological assessments for cardiac rehabilitation patients.

Psychological and quality of life measures are important in the assessment of cardiac rehabilitation (CR) patients and the outcome of treatment. This study aimed to assess the utility and sensitivity to change of three simple questionnaires in a CR setting. A total of 1403 patients who entered CR over 51 months were studied.

Patient characteristics and outcomes of cardiac rehabilitation.

Purpose: To investigate changes in physical fitness and psychological characteristics of patients after cardiac rehabilitation, and to assess predictors of defaulting from the program.

Methods: A prospective study of 1902 consecutive patients admitted to a community-based, hospital-linked cardiac rehabilitation program was conducted over a period of 6 years and 7 months. The cardiac rehabilitation program centered on a 2-to 6-month circuit training course with education, stress management, relaxation, and risk factor monitoring.