Aerobic Exercise Recommendations to Optimize Best Practices in Care After Stroke: AEROBICS 2019 Update.

Most stroke survivors have very low levels of cardiovascular fitness, which limits mobility and leads to further physical deconditioning, increased sedentary behavior, and heightened risk of recurrent stroke. Although clinical guidelines recommend that aerobic exercise be a part of routine stroke rehabilitation, clinical uptake has been suboptimal. In 2013, an international group of stroke rehabilitation experts developed a user-friendly set of recommendations to guide screening and prescription-the Aerobic Exercise Recommendations to Optimize Best Practices in Care after Stroke (AEROBICS 2013).

Can causal explanations about endothelial pathophysiology benefit patient education? A cluster randomized controlled trial in cardiac rehabilitation.

Objective: To examine whether explaining causal links among endothelial pathophysiology, cardiac risk factors, symptoms and health behaviors (termed causal information) enhances patients' depth of knowledge about cardiovascular disease self-management and their perceptions of the cardiac rehabilitation and secondary prevention (CRSP) program.

Methods: Newly referred CRSP patients (N = 94) were cluster randomized to usual care (control; UC) or usual care with causal information (intervention; UC + CI). Depth of knowledge (factual vs.

Importance of Completing Hybrid Cardiac Rehabilitation for Long-Term Outcomes: A Real-World Evaluation.

Community-based hybrid cardiac rehabilitation (CR) programs offer a viable alternative to conventional centre-based CR, however their long-term benefits are unknown. We conducted a secondary analysis of the CR Participation Study conducted in London, Ontario, between 2003 and 2006. CR eligible patients hospitalized for a major cardiac event, who resided within 60 min, were referred to a hybrid CR program; 381 of 544 (64%) referred patients initiated CR; an additional 1,498 CR eligible patients were not referred due to distance.

Comprehensive Cardiac Rehabilitation for Secondary Prevention After Transient Ischemic Attack or Mild Stroke: PSYCHOLOGICAL PROFILE AND OUTCOMES.

Purpose: Having previously reported that comprehensive cardiac rehabilitation (CCR) is effective for secondary prevention post-transient ischemic attack (TIA)/mild nondisabling stroke (MNDS), we present psychometric findings for the same sample that elucidate subacute TIA/MNDS psychological outcomes and test whether CCR would be independently associated with psychological improvements.

Methods: In this prospective cohort trial patients with ≥1 risk factor, recruited from a stroke prevention clinic within 12 months (mean = 11.5 weeks) post-TIA/MNDS, entered CCR.

Feasibility of an exercise intervention for fatigued breast cancer patients at a community-based cardiac rehabilitation program.

Purpose: Exercise is beneficial to quality of life after cancer treatment, yet few cancer survivors meet exercise guidelines. Our study sought to determine the feasibility of an oncology rehabilitation exercise program embedded within a cardiac rehabilitation program.

Methods: Patients who rated their fatigue >4/10 after completion of adjuvant chemotherapy for breast cancer were screened for eligibility and the outcomes were assessed (Piper Fatigue Scale, Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Breast [FACT-B], Edmonton Symptom Assessment System, body composition, stress test, and physical activity measurement [accelerometer]).

Feasibility of Assessing 2 Cardiac Rehabilitation Quality Indicators.

Purpose: The Canadian Cardiovascular Society initiated a pan-Canadian process for development of quality indicators (QIs) for cardiac rehabilitation (CR). Before implementation, the QIs underwent pilot testing to ensure they were acceptable and feasible for field implementation. The objectives of this test were to assess (1) the technical feasibility of measuring the QIs; (2) the workload required to measure the QIs; and (3) acceptability of measuring the QIs and issues with their implementation.

Primary care provider receipt of cardiac rehabilitation discharge summaries: are they getting what they want to promote long-term risk reduction?

Background: Communication between cardiac rehabilitation (CR) and primary care providers (PCPs) is paramount to promoting long-term risk reduction after the completion of CR. The objectives of this study were to investigate receipt of CR discharge summaries by PCPs, as well as timing, and satisfaction with and perceptions of CR summaries.

Methods And Results: Five hundred seventy-seven eligible PCPs of consenting enrollees from 8 regional or urban Ontario CR programs were invited to participate in this cross-sectional study.

Comprehensive cardiac rehabilitation for secondary prevention after transient ischemic attack or mild stroke: I: feasibility and risk factors.

Background And Purpose: Comprehensive cardiac rehabilitation (CCR), which integrates structured lifestyle interventions and medications, reduces morbidity and mortality among cardiac patients. CCR has not typically been used with cerebrovascular populations, despite important commonalities with heart patients. We tested feasibility and effectiveness of 6-month outpatient CCR for secondary prevention after transient ischemic attack or mild, nondisabling stroke.

Primary care provider perceptions of intake transition records and shared care with outpatient cardiac rehabilitation programs.

Background: While it is recommended that records are kept between primary care providers (PCPs) and specialists during patient transitions from hospital to community care, this communication is not currently standardized. We aimed to assess the transmission of cardiac rehabilitation (CR) program intake transition records to PCPs and to explore PCPs' needs in communication with CR programs and for intake transition record content.

Method: 144 PCPs of consenting enrollees from 8 regional and urban Ontario CR programs participated in this cross-sectional study.

Randomized trial of an internet-based computer-tailored expert system for physical activity in patients with heart disease.

Background: The CardioFit Internet-based expert system was designed to promote physical activity in patients with coronary heart disease (CHD) who were not participating in cardiac rehabilitation.

Design: This randomized controlled trial compared CardioFit to usual care to assess its effects on physical activity following hospitalization for acute coronary syndromes.

Methods: A total of 223 participants were recruited at the University of Ottawa Heart Institute or London Health Sciences Centre and randomly assigned to either CardioFit (n = 115) or usual care (n = 108).