Cardiac Rehabilitation ; Cardiovascular Diseases ; prevention & control ; China ; Humans

PURPOSE: This study was to analyze research reports published in Korea on cardiac rehabilitation for patients with cardiovascular disease. METHODS: Based on inclusion criteria, 19 research reports were included in this review. Published year of selected articles was between 1996 and 2008. Nineteen studies were analyzed by guidelines of the cardiac rehabilitation programs done by the American Heart Association (AHA) and Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network (SIGN). RESULTS: The characteristics of patients were mostly of ischemic heart disease, 50-59 yr old, and male. Educational sessions were administered twice, and each lesson lasted less than 30 min. Exercise was done 3 times per week for 6 weeks. Most educational content were about risk factors, but there was no information, such as coping with feelings. Most exercise was performed as ROM, treadmill, and cycle ergometer. A large percentage of outcome indicators were health behavior, hemodynamic changes, and exercise capacity. There was more 'no effect' than 'positive effect' in trait anxiety and depression, whereas similar in physiologic domain. CONCLUSION: Various types of cardiac rehabilitation in Korea were performed by researchers. Therefore, we need to develop the standard protocol, to add psychosocial intervention, and to study cost effectiveness of cardiac rehabilitation.
Cardiovascular Diseases/*rehabilitation ; Exercise Therapy ; Humans ; Korea ; Male ; Myocardial Ischemia/rehabilitation ; Patient Education as Topic ; Program Development

BACKGROUND: We investigated the demographic characteristics of stroke patients over 65 years old and wanted to see the effects of rehabilitation therapies by examining the changing status of patients before and after treatment by comparing with other patients under 65 years old. METHODS: We went through medical records arranged by making a comparative groups of older patients and other younger patients who both admitted within recent 4 years. Accompanied medical problems are categorized by ICD-10, the functional statuses are classified into FIM score at admission, and FIM efficiency at discharge. RESULTS: Between two groups, according to cause of a stroke, the existence of spouse, gender, there is statistical difference and, at admission, functional level of older patients was lower but it was not observed that extent of functional change of the result of rehabilitation therapy with distinction of age. Accompanied diseases were average 4.6 and is cardiovascular disease with the highest rates. CONCLUSION: Since the explosion of an aging population is regarded as serious national problem, people have been trying to find diversified treatments against geriatrics. And the data will be utilized as useful materials for better direction where rehabilitation treatment against a stroke should aim.
Aged ; Aging ; Cardiovascular Diseases ; Explosions ; Geriatrics* ; Humans ; International Classification of Diseases ; Medical Records ; Rehabilitation* ; Spouses ; Stroke*

OBJECTIVE: Nowadays half body bathing (H-bath) became popular with increasing interests of health and well-being. H-bath is expected to be beneficial and safe as well as conventional whole body bathing (W-bath). However, there has been no formal report on the safety and effectiveness of H-bath. Therefore, this study tried to evaluate and compare the cardiovascular response during H-bath and W-bath in patients with or without cardiovascular disease. METHOD: 17 subjects with at least one cardiovascular risk factor and 15 subjects without any cardiovascular risk factor took H-bath while 22 healthy control group without any cardiovascular risk factor took W-bath. Changes of skin and oral temperature as well as hemodynamic responses (systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, heart rate) were measured. RESULTS: Increasing of systolic blood pressure and heart rate in H-bath was statistically lowered compared to W-bath as time goes by in bathing (p<0.05). There were no significant difference in patients with and without cardiovascular disease. CONCLUSION: Heart rate, temperature, systolic blood pressure showed a more gradual increase during H-bath than during W-bath. We propose that H-bath could be a more safe and compliant method of cardiac rehabilitation in patients with cardiovascular disease.
Baths* ; Blood Pressure ; Cardiovascular Diseases ; Heart ; Heart Rate ; Hemodynamics* ; Humans ; Rehabilitation ; Risk Factors* ; Skin

Sleep related breathing disorders comprises disorders related abnormal pattern and status of the gas exchange during sleep. It has been reported that abnormal sleep pattern could results in an autonomic dysfunction during sleep and ends up to increase possibility to induce stroke and cardiovascular disease associated with atherosclerosis. Stroke is a disorder, which could cause death and critical disability in the adulthood. Sleep related breathing disorders and stroke has causal relationship in each other, which could influence on recovery to each other. Systematic evaluation and management for sleep disorder after stroke might have clinical importance. This review will comprise of topics about sleep related disorders in stroke patients including epidemiology, relationship between stroke and sleep disorder, diagnosis, and management of frequent sleep disorder.
Atherosclerosis ; Cardiovascular Diseases ; Diagnosis ; Epidemiology ; Humans ; Rehabilitation ; Respiration ; Sleep Apnea Syndromes ; Stroke*

With the increasing number of cardiovascular patients, more and more people are living with diseases. Cardiac rehabilitation (CR) is an effective treatment and prevention measure for cardiovascular disease (CVD), which aims to relieve both psychological and physiological stress of CVD, reduce risk of death from CVD, improve cardiovascular function and patients' quality of life. Tai Chi is popular in China and mainly used as a daily leisure activity for the elderly to strengthen their bodies. This review discusses whether Tai Chi could be taken as a positive intervention in CR and what is the exact role and its mechanisms as exercise therapy for CVD. The authors detail the role of Tai Chi on CR from the aspects of exercise capacity, risk factors of CVD and psychological factors, etc., as well as highlight the limitation of Tai Chi research at present.
Cardiac Rehabilitation ; methods ; Cardiovascular Diseases ; therapy ; Exercise Therapy ; methods ; Humans ; Tai Ji

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to identify motivational factors that may influence health behaviors of patients with coronary artery disease. METHODS: Structured questionnaires were used with a convenience sample of 164 subjects who were discharged from the hospital. The subjects were recruited for an interview at outpatient clinic in hospitals. The tools for the study were the motivational factors and health behaviors measure for the Elderly with cardiovascular disease. The data were analyzed using frequency, t-test, ANOVA, sheffe, Pearson correlation coefficient and stepwise multiple regressions. RESULTS: There were significant correlations between motivational factors and health behaviors, ranging from r=.192 to .692. Stepwise multiple regression analyses indicated that 51% of variance in health behaviors was explained by self-efficacy and perceived benefits among four motivational factors(F=34.988, p<.01). Self-efficacy contributed the greatest amount of variance in health behaviors(beta=.467), followed by perceived benefits(beta=.235). CONCLUSIONS: The results of the study indicate that motivation, especially self-efficacy, was very important in predicting health behaviors of patients with coronary artery disease. Thus it would be necessary to include motivational factors in designing rehabilitation program for people with coronary artery disease.
Aged ; Ambulatory Care Facilities ; Cardiovascular Diseases ; Coronary Artery Disease* ; Coronary Vessels* ; Health Behavior* ; Humans ; Motivation ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Rehabilitation

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of arm ergometry exercise training on the cardiovascular system and sensorimotor function in the early stroke patients. METHOD: 19 stroke patients without cardiac disease were randomly assigned to exercise training group (9 patients) and control group (10 patients). The time interval between the onset of stroke and exercise training was 20 days. The training group subjects were trained three times a week for 30 minuts by arm ergometry and conventional rehabilitation during 4 weeks. Exercise intensity was prescribed at 30% to 60% of heart rate reserve. Control group were trained only conventional rehabilitation. Exercise test with arm ergometry was performed before and after 4 weeks training period. To evaluate sensorimotor function, Fugl-Meyer score of upper extremities was measured before and after 4 weeks training period. RESULTS: In training group, heart rate at rest decreased after 4 weeks training significantly. However, improvement of peak oxygen uptake was not significant. After 4 weeks, the difference of Fugl-Meyer score are correlate the difference of peak oxygen uptake. CONCLUSION: Early aerobic exercise training in stroke patients may improve resting heart rate and sensorimotor function.
Arm* ; Cardiovascular System ; Ergometry* ; Exercise ; Exercise Test ; Heart Diseases ; Heart Rate ; Humans ; Oxygen ; Rehabilitation ; Stroke* ; Upper Extremity

OBJECTIVE: To help cardiopulmonary rehabilitation and prevention of cardiovascular disease in spinal cord injured patients. METHOD: Twenty spinal cord injured patients were divided into 3 groups according to level of injury - cervical, thoracic and lumbar level groups. Exercise stress test was initiated at a velocity of 1.5 mph for 1 minute and was increased 0.5 mph for each subsequent minute. To evaluate blood lipid profiles, we measured total cholesterol, HDL (high density lipoprotein)-cholesterol, LDL (low density lipoprotein)-cholesterol and triglyceride levels in the fasting state. RESULTS: Oxygen consumption, oxygen consumption ratio of maximal oxygen consumption and minute ventilation were significantly higher in the thoracic and lumbar cord level groups compared to the cervical cord level group (p<0.05). There was a significant difference between all 3 groups in respect to total duration of exercise (p<0.05). The HDL- cholesterol level showed significant correlation with total exercise time (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: Cardiopulmonary evaluation by specialized wheel chair system in spinal cord injured patients may be more safe and accurate method compared to the previous examination.
Cardiovascular Diseases ; Cholesterol ; Cholesterol, HDL ; Exercise Test ; Fasting ; Humans ; Oxygen Consumption ; Rehabilitation ; Spinal Cord Injuries ; Spinal Cord* ; Triglycerides ; Ventilation ; Wheelchairs

PURPOSE: To evaluate the clinical distribution of bilateral non-contemporary hip fractures regarding to fractures type, risk factors and fractures interval in elderly patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 24 bilateral non-contemporary cases among 621 hip fractures from Sep. 1997 to Dec. 2004 were evaluated regarding to gender, age, incidence, Singh index, causes, interval, fracture pattern, operative methods and underlying diseases between the two fractures retrospectively. RESULTS: The distribution is as follows: males to females (5:19), incidence (3.86%), mean age (76.9 years and 78.9 years), average Singh index 2.5 degree (2~4) and 2.1 degree (1~3) respectively. 21 cases (87.5%) in both fractures suffered from minor slips and 19 cases (79.1%) occured within 3 years of the first fracture and 17 (68.1%) cases were same type fractures. Bipolar hemiarthroplasty was performed in 12 cases. All but one patient had underlying cardiovascular diseases and CVA sequales. CONCLUSION: To prevent the bilateral non-contemporary hip fractures, surgeons must bear in mind that osteoporosis treatment, control of underlying cardiovascular diseases and CVA sequales, and the effective rehabilitation is very important.
Aged* ; Cardiovascular Diseases ; Female ; Hemiarthroplasty ; Hip Fractures* ; Hip* ; Hospital Distribution Systems* ; Humans ; Incidence ; Male ; Osteoporosis ; Rehabilitation ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Factors