Furthermore, the study investigates whether patient-reported outcomes predicts health outcomes, readmissions, and death. Adherence to treatment and lifestyle advice, and whether this affects patients’ outcomes are also investigated. Principal investigator of the study is professor Tone M. Norekvål.

Background for the study

Patients with coronary artery disease, referred to early cardiac rehabilitation at Haukeland University Hospital and Haraldsplass Deaconess Hospital, are included in the study. Patients who fulfil the inclusion criteria, but who cannot participate in the study due to geographic circumstances make up the control group, and are recruited from the CONCARDPCI study. International research shows that this patient group experience a positive effect from traditional cardiac rehabilitation (6-8 weeks after discharge from the hospital). However, research on early cardiac rehabilitation (1-6 weeks after discharge from hospital) is scarce.
Today, the capacity of cardiac rehabilitation programmes is significantly smaller than the number of patients who fulfil the criteria for participation in cardiac rehabilitation programmes. Therefore, one of the challenges is referring the patients who would benefit the most from participation in a cardiac rehabilitation programme.

Health gains for cardiac patients

Increased knowledge about the benefit of early cardiac rehabilitation for the individual patient can provide better follow-up care for this patient group in the future. The project provides new knowledge to whether early cardiac rehabilitation contributes to improved self-reported health, reduced anxiety related to the disease situation, improved adherence to therapy and lifestyle advice, and reduction in new cardiac events. Furthermore, the project provides knowledge on possible positive changes after a cardiac event, which can prove important in the guidance of future patients. Knowledge about a possible reduction in new cardiac events after cardiac rehabilitation has consequences for both patients and the society at large.

Execution of the study
Patients are followed up with questionnaires 1, 6, 12 and 24 months after completion of the rehabilitation programme, and with registry data for 10 years or until death. Inclusion is completed, and so are the follow-up measurements, up until 1 year.

Building competency
The study has two completed and two ongoing master’s degrees.