[Long-term physical activity after a myocardial infarction : a permanent challenge]

Area of Science:

• Cardiology
• Public Health
• Sports Medicine

Background:

• Cardiac rehabilitation (CR) is a recommended multidisciplinary program for patients post-myocardial infarction (MI) or acute coronary syndrome (ACS).
• CR aims to reduce mortality and morbidity, enhancing exercise capacity and quality of life.
• International guidelines recommend CR for all ACS patients, yet participation rates in Switzerland are suboptimal, with less than 5% engaging in long-term phase III maintenance programs.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate strategies for encouraging long-term physical activity adherence in patients completing phase II cardiac rehabilitation.
• To address the low participation rates in phase III cardiac maintenance programs in Geneva, Switzerland.

Main Methods:

• A project initiated in 2015 focuses on motivating patients post-phase II CR to resume and maintain regular physical activity.
• The methodology involves encouraging sustained engagement in physical activity beyond the structured phase II program.

Main Results:

• The study highlights a significant gap between recommended CR participation and actual patient engagement, particularly in long-term maintenance.
• Low adherence to phase III programs indicates a need for effective interventions to promote sustained physical activity.

Conclusions:

• There is a critical need to improve long-term adherence to physical activity following structured cardiac rehabilitation.
• Interventions are required to boost participation in phase III cardiac maintenance programs to maximize patient benefits and reduce cardiovascular events.