Cardiac rehabilitation Knowledge of cardiovascular risk factors and recommended lifestyle modifications in patients after an acute coronary syndrome. The influence of short-term, stationary rehabilitation. Preliminary results

Abstract

Background:
Education on behavioural risk factors and lifestyle modification is one of the core components of comprehensive cardiac rehabilitation.
Aim:
To assess the level of knowledge of cardiovascular risk factors and recommended lifestyle changes in patients rehabilitated after an acute coronary syndrome (ACS).
Methods:
The study group consisted of 31 consecutive patients (22 males, 56.6±10.9 years) participating in short-term, early, comprehensive cardiac rehabilitation. On admission, at discharge and 3 months after discharge patients’ knowledge was assessed with a questionnaire worked out by the authors.
Results:
On admission, patients had poor knowledge of cardiovascular risk factors and recommended lifestyle modifications, especially concerning diabetes, hypertension, and diet. After completing the rehabilitation programme, significantly higher percentage of patients gave correct answers to questions concerning diabetes and cholesterol-rich diet as cardiovascular risk factors, and substitution of vegetable fat for animal fat as a lifestyle modification, and significantly higher proportion of patients gave the correct value for elevated systolic blood pressure.
Conclusions:
Patients after ACS have poor knowledge of cardiovascular risk factors and recommended lifestyle modifications. The level of knowledge improves after short-term, stationary cardiac rehabilitation; however, the degree of this improvement is not completely satisfactory.