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Published on: October 1, 2019
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Exercise After Hospitalization Is Associated With Lower Readmission Rates in Older Heart Failure Patients Regardless
Tetsuya Ozawa1, Tatsuro Inoue2, Takashi Naruke3
1Department of Rehabilitation, Odawara Municipal Hospital Kanagawa Japan.
Circulation Reports
|February 11, 2026
Summary
Starting or continuing exercise after hospital discharge significantly reduces readmission rates for heart failure (HF) patients. Regular exercise assessments post-discharge are crucial for older adults with HF.
Area of Science:
- Gerontology
- Cardiology
- Public Health
Background:
- Heart failure (HF) is a major cause of hospitalization in older adults.
- Understanding factors influencing HF readmission is critical for improving patient outcomes.
- Exercise habits before and after hospitalization may impact HF readmission risk.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between pre- and post-hospitalization exercise habits and all-cause readmission in older heart failure patients.
- To identify patient groups based on exercise patterns and their respective readmission rates.
Main Methods:
- A cohort of 98 older heart failure patients (mean age 80.6 years) admitted to Odawara Municipal Hospital was studied.
- Patients were categorized into four groups: persistent non-exercisers, exercise dropouts, new exercisers, and persistent exercisers.
- Exercise was defined as ≥30 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous activity weekly; readmission was tracked for 1 year.
Main Results:
- Overall, 46.9% of patients were readmitted within 1 year.
- Patients who started exercising after discharge (new exercisers) had significantly lower readmission rates (HR 0.14).
- Patients who consistently exercised both before and after hospitalization (persistent exercisers) also showed significantly reduced readmission rates (HR 0.23).
Conclusions:
- Continuing or initiating exercise post-hospitalization is a significant protective factor against readmission in older heart failure patients.
- Post-discharge exercise habits are independent prognostic factors for reduced HF readmission.
- Regular assessment of exercise habits should be integrated into the care of older HF patients.
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