Stroke Recovery Program with Modified Cardiac Rehabilitation Improves Mortality, Functional & Cardiovascular...

Area of Science:

• Neurology
• Cardiology
• Rehabilitation Medicine

Background:

• Physical activity and exercise are crucial for stroke recovery and secondary prevention.
• A stroke recovery program (SRP) integrating modified cardiac rehabilitation was investigated.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the impact of an SRP with modified cardiac rehabilitation on mortality and functional outcomes in stroke survivors.
• To assess the association between SRP participation and post-stroke survival and performance.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of 449 acute stroke survivors (2015-2020).
• Comparison of 246 SRP participants versus 203 non-participants over 1 year post-stroke.
• Statistical analysis included log-rank test, Cox proportional hazard, and linear mixed-effects models.

Main Results:

• SRP participants showed a four-fold reduction in 1-year all-cause mortality (P=0.005).
• Statistically significant improvements in all Activity Measure of Post-Acute Care domains (P<0.001).
• Cardiovascular performance increased by 78% over 36 sessions (P<0.001).

Conclusions:

• A comprehensive SRP with modified cardiac rehabilitation decreases mortality in stroke survivors.
• This program significantly improves overall function and cardiovascular performance.
• The findings support the integration of cardiac rehabilitation into stroke recovery programs.