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Cardiovascular Rehabilitation With a WCD-Data From the CR3 Study (Cardiac Rehab Retrospective Review)
Ursula Rohrer1, Anja Reischl, Martin Manninger
1Division of Internal Medicine, Department of Cardiology, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria (Drs Rohrer, Manninger, Zweiker, Zirlik, and Scherr and Ms Reischl); Division of Cardiology and Intensive Care, Department of Medicine, Hospital Klinikum Wels-Grieskirchen, Wels, Austria (Dr Binder); Division of Internal Medicine, Cardiology and Nephrology, Department of Medicine, Hospital Wiener Neustadt, Wiener Neustadt, Austria, and Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, University Hospital Salzburg, Salzburg, Austria (Dr Fiedler); Department of Science, Innovation and Medical Performance Development of the Austrian Pension Insurance Institution (PVA), Vienna, Austria (Dr Gruska); SKA-Rehabilitation Center Großgmain (PVA), Großgmain, Austria (Dr Altenberger); SKA-Rehabilitation Center St Radegund (PVA), Graz, Austria (Dr Dorr); Division of Cardiology and Intensive Care, Department of Medicine, Kepler University Hospital, Linz, Austria (Dr Steinwender); Division of Cardiology and Angiology, Department of Medicine, University Hospital Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria (Dr Stuehlinger); Private Practice for Cardiology and Sports Medicine, Graz, Austria (Dr Wonisch); and Division of Cardiac Surgery, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria (Zirngast).
Cardiac rehabilitation is safe and feasible for patients using a wearable cardioverter-defibrillator (WCD). This approach may improve cardiac function and recovery in high-risk individuals.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Medical Devices
- Rehabilitation Medicine
Background:
- Patients at risk for sudden cardiac death may require a temporary wearable cardioverter-defibrillator (WCD).
- Exercise-based cardiac rehabilitation (CR) is recommended for patients with cardiac disease.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the safety and feasibility of undergoing cardiac rehabilitation (CR) while using a wearable cardioverter-defibrillator (WCD).
Main Methods:
- Retrospective analysis of patients who completed CR with a WCD in Austria between 2010 and 2020.
- Data collected included WCD usage, alarms, adverse events, and changes in left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF).
Main Results:
- No shocks were delivered by the WCD during CR; one patient had ventricular tachycardias managed with medication.
- No severe WCD-associated adverse events occurred. LVEF significantly improved post-CR (36% to 42%).
- 53% of patients stopped WCD therapy due to LVEF improvement, with other outcomes including ICD implantation or heart transplantation.
Conclusions:
- Completing cardiac rehabilitation (CR) is safe and feasible for patients using a wearable cardioverter-defibrillator (WCD).
- CR participation may positively contribute to the restitution of cardiac function in these patients.
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