Related Experiment Video

Updated: Feb 5, 2026

A Novel Digital Platform for a Monitored Home-based Cardiac Rehabilitation Program
04:24

A Novel Digital Platform for a Monitored Home-based Cardiac Rehabilitation Program

Published on: April 19, 2019

12.6K

Effect of multidisciplinary cardiac rehabilitation on the response to cardiac resynchronization therapy

Pieter Martens1,2, Guy Jacobs1, Matthias Dupont1

  • 1Department of Cardiology, Ziekenhuis Oost-Limburg, Genk, Belgium.

Cardiovascular Therapeutics
|September 22, 2018
PubMed

Insights

Cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) combined with cardiac rehabilitation (CR) improves heart failure outcomes. Participation in CR post-CRT implant is safe and enhances symptomatic status and long-term survival.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiology
  • Heart Failure Management
  • Rehabilitation Medicine

Background:

  • Cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) and multidisciplinary cardiac rehabilitation (CR) improve heart failure outcomes.
  • The combined impact of CRT and CR requires further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the effect of a structured cardiac rehabilitation program on patients undergoing cardiac resynchronization therapy.
  • To assess the influence of CR on functional status, reverse remodeling, and clinical outcomes post-CRT.

Main Methods:

  • Retrospective analysis of 655 CRT patients, divided into those who did and did not participate in CR.
  • Assessment of New York Heart Association (NYHA) class, left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), and a combined endpoint of heart failure readmission/all-cause mortality.
  • Multivariate correction was applied to analyze the data.

Main Results:

  • 34% of patients participated in CR; no adverse events were reported.
  • CR participants showed significant improvements in NYHA class, maximal workload, and VO2max at 6 months, even after adjustment.
  • While CR showed a trend towards improved LVEF, this was not significant after multivariate correction. CR was associated with significantly higher event-free survival for the combined endpoint.

Conclusions:

  • Structured cardiac rehabilitation is safe and beneficial for patients post-CRT implant.
  • CR positively impacts symptomatic status and clinical outcomes, potentially independent of CRT's reverse remodeling effects.
  • Combining CRT with CR offers additive benefits for heart failure patients.
Abstract

Keywords:
cardiac resynchronization therapyclinical outcomeexercise trainingfunctional improvementresponse to CRT

More Related Videos

Benefits of Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy in an Asynchronous Heart Failure Model Induced by Left Bundle Branch Ablation and Rapid Pacing12:45

Benefits of Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy in an Asynchronous Heart Failure Model Induced by Left Bundle Branch Ablation and Rapid Pacing

Published on: December 11, 2017

11.0K
Construction of Defined Human Engineered Cardiac Tissues to Study Mechanisms of Cardiac Cell Therapy11:51

Construction of Defined Human Engineered Cardiac Tissues to Study Mechanisms of Cardiac Cell Therapy

Published on: March 1, 2016

10.9K

Related Concept Videos

Cardiac Output II: Effect of Stroke Volume on Cardiac Output01:22

Cardiac Output II: Effect of Stroke Volume on Cardiac Output

Cardiac output (CO), the amount of blood the heart pumps per minute, is a parameter in cardiovascular physiology determined by stroke volume and heart rate. Stroke volume, the amount of blood pushed from one of the ventricles per heartbeat, is influenced by preload, afterload, and contractility.
Preload
Preload refers to the initial elongation of the cardiac myocytes before contraction and is related to the volume of blood filling the heart at the end of diastole, or end-diastolic volume. The...
3.4K
Cardiac Output I:Effect of Heart Rate on Cardiac Output01:19

Cardiac Output I:Effect of Heart Rate on Cardiac Output

Cardiac Output
Cardiac output (CO) refers to the total amount of blood ejected by one of the ventricles in liters per minute (L/min). In a resting adult, CO ranges from 5 to 6 L/min, adjusting according to the body's metabolic requirements.
Effect of Heart Rate on Cardiac Output
Cardiac output adapts to metabolic demands during stress, physical activity, or illness. The autonomic nervous system regulates heart rate via the sinoatrial node. The parasympathetic nervous system decreases heart...
2.7K
The Cardiac Cycle01:13

The Cardiac Cycle

The heart beats rhythmically in a sequence called the cardiac cycle—a rapid coordination of contraction (systole) and relaxation (diastole).
The Process
Electrical signals—sent from the sinoatrial (SA) node in the right atrial wall to the atrioventricular (AV) node between the right atrium and right ventricle—cause both atria to simultaneously contract. When the signal reaches the AV node, it pauses for approximately a tenth of a second, allowing the atria to contract and...
98.3K
Cardiac Cycle01:29

Cardiac Cycle

The cardiac cycle refers to the sequence of events that occur in the heart from the beginning of one heartbeat to the next. It's characterized by alternating periods of contraction (systole) and relaxation (diastole) of the heart muscles.
During the cardiac cycle, blood flow through the heart is regulated entirely by changing pressure gradients. This sequence of events begins with the heart in a state of total relaxation, known as mid-to-late diastole, during which blood passively flows from...
13.0K
Exercise and Cardiac Output01:17

Exercise and Cardiac Output

Regular physical activity is essential for maintaining cardiovascular health, with aerobic exercises being particularly effective. According to the American Heart Association, 150 minutes of moderate to intense aerobic exercise per week is recommended for a healthy heart. Aerobic activities may include brisk walking, running, bicycling, cross-country skiing, and swimming, ideally performed three to five times per week.
Sustained exercise increases the muscles' oxygen demand, which can be...
2.0K
Imbalances in Cardiac Output01:26

Imbalances in Cardiac Output

The heart's primary function is to pump blood throughout the body, maintaining a balance between blood sent out (cardiac output) and blood returning (venous return). If this balance is disrupted, it can result in congestive heart failure (CHF), a severe condition where the heart becomes an inefficient pump, leading to inadequate blood circulation.
CHF can occur due to the failure of either side of the heart. Left-side failure leads to pulmonary congestion—the right side continues to send...
3.0K