Cardiac Rehabilitation in German Speaking Countries of Europe-Evidence-Based Guidelines from Germany, Austria and Switzerland LLKardReha-DACH-Part 2.

Background: Scientific guidelines have been developed to update and harmonize exercise based cardiac rehabilitation (ebCR) in German speaking countries. Key recommendations for ebCR indications have recently been published in part 1 of this journal. The present part 2 updates the evidence with respect to contents and delivery of ebCR in clinical practice, focusing on exercise training (ET), psychological interventions (PI), patient education (PE).

Treatment patterns, risk factor control and functional capacity in patients with cardiovascular and chronic kidney disease in the cardiac rehabilitation setting.

Background: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a frequent comorbidity among elderly patients and those with cardiovascular disease. CKD carries prognostic relevance. We aimed to describe patient characteristics, risk factor management and control status of patients in cardiac rehabilitation (CR), differentiated by presence or absence of CKD.

Treatment patterns and risk factor control in patients with and without metabolic syndrome in cardiac rehabilitation.

Aim: Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is a clustering of factors that are associated with increased cardiovascular risk. We aimed to investigate the proportion of patients with MetS in patients undergoing cardiac rehabilitation (CR), and to describe differences between patients with MetS compared to those without MetS with regard to (1) patient characteristics including demographics, risk factors, and comorbidities, (2) risk factor management including drug treatment, and (3) control status of risk factors at entry to CR and discharge from CR.

Methods: Post-hoc analysis of data from 27,904 inpatients (Transparency Registry to Objectify Guideline-Oriented Risk Factor Management registry) that underwent a CR period of about 3 weeks were analyzed descriptively in total and compared by their MetS status.

Anxiety and depression in cardiac patients: age differences and comparisons with the general population.

Background: Anxiety and depression are often found in cardiac patients, but also in the general population. Therefore, evaluation of these symptoms in patients requires a comparison with norm values. The purpose of this study was to explore differences between cardiac patients and the general population in age dependency of anxiety and depression, and to discuss possible reasons for these differences.

CARRISMA: a new tool to improve risk stratification and guidance of patients in cardiovascular risk management in primary prevention.

Aims: Risk stratification is important for decisions about the intensity of treatment in primary prevention. Risk factors and lifestyle factors are responsible for over 80% of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. However, body mass index (BMI), physical activity and smoking (cigarettes/day) are not or not quantitatively represented in the risk stratification system.

Cardiac rehabilitation in Germany.

The purpose of this review is to give an overview of the rehabilitation measures provided for cardiac patients in Germany and to outline its legal basis and outcomes. In Germany the cardiac rehabilitation system is different from rehabilitation measures in other European countries. Cardiac rehabilitation in Germany since 1885 is based on specific laws and the regulations of insurance providers.

[Heart groups in Germany-current situation and prospects].

Currently, more than 6,600 heart groups (AHGs) have been established in Germany, in which more than 110,000 patients are physically active. Following cardiac rehabilitation (CR) after an acute event, in the AHG patients aim to meet the set rehabilitation goals in groups of about 15-20 patients, instructed by a competent exercise therapist and attended by a physician. While physical activity has been the dominant aspect thus far, psychosocial and educative elements are now more strongly integrated to stabilize secondary prevention.

Age and sex dependencies of anxiety and depression in cardiologic patients compared with the general population.

Objective: The aim of this study was to test age and sex effects on anxiety and depression using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale HADS.

Method: Sample 1 consisted of 2037 subjects of the German general population, and sample 2 comprised 2696 cardiologic patients.

Results: In the group of the general population we observed a linear increase of depression and (to a lower extent) of anxiety with age.