Exercise after myocardial infarction: long-term rehabilitation effects

Long-term effects of an exercise programme for patients who had experienced myocardial infarction were investigated. Questionnaires were sent to 305 patients who during a three and a half year period had been invited to participate. Replies from 58 exercised patients, 13 who had dropped out, 75 controls and 69 who declined the invitation were analysed. The amount of exercise now being taken was positively correlated with scores on cardio-vascular and general health, and negatively correlated with symptoms during exercise and taking medication. The exercised group differed from the other groups in that a greater proportion were still taking heavy exercise. The latter scored significantly higher than the rest of the patients on most of the measures used. For effective long-term rehabilitation the problem of encouraging and enabling patients to continue vigorous exercise needs to be resolved.