Improving cardiac rehabilitation attendance and completion through quality improvement activities and a motivational program.

Purpose: Recent studies have demonstrated that patients who attend more cardiac rehabilitation (CR) sessions have lower subsequent mortality rates than those who attend fewer sessions.

Methods: We analyzed the impact of several phased-in policy and process changes implemented to increase patient participation in CR. In March 2010, our CR program changed from a policy of individualizing the recommended number of CR sessions per patient to a policy that recommended all 36 CR sessions.

Diagnostic performance of weight loss to predict body fatness improvement in cardiac rehabilitation patients.

Purpose: To determine the diagnostic performance of weight loss to identify fat mass loss in cardiac rehabilitation (CR) patients.

Methods: We included consecutive patients enrolled in early outpatient CR who underwent air displacement plethysmography with measurements of height, weight, and waist circumference at initiation and completion of CR. We calculated the accuracy of >1 kg of weight loss to predict a >1 kg loss of fat mass.

Screening for obstructive sleep apnea in early outpatient cardiac rehabilitation: feasibility and results.

Background: Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) has been recognized as a risk factor for cardiovascular disease and mortality. The aim of this study was to determine the feasibility and efficacy of implementing a screening program for OSA in early outpatient cardiac rehabilitation (CR) and to estimate the risk for OSA in this population.

Methods: From 535 consecutive patients enrolled in early outpatient CR we screened 383 (72%) patients and classified them as low- vs.