A Novel, Individualized Exercise Program for Patients with Peripheral Arterial Disease Recovering from Bypass Surgery

• Published in: International journal of environmental research and public health Vol. 16; no. 12; p. 2127
• Main Authors: Jakubsevičienė, Edita, Mėlinytė, Karolina, Kubilius, Raimondas
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Switzerland MDPI AG 16.06.2019; MDPI
• Subjects: Aged; Angina pectoris; Cardiovascular disease; Cooling; Diabetes; Exercise; Exercise Therapy - methods; Family medical history; Female; Heart rate; Heart surgery; Humans; Hypertension; Ischemia; Male; Patients; Peripheral Arterial Disease - rehabilitation; Peripheral Arterial Disease - surgery; Physical fitness; Physical therapists; Precision Medicine; Quality of Life; Rehabilitation; Strength training; Supervision; Therapy; Vascular Surgical Procedures - rehabilitation; Walking; quality of life; risk factors; exercise program
• ISSN: 1660-4601; 1661-7827; 1660-4601
• DOI: 10.3390/ijerph16122127

The effectiveness of an individual six-month-long physical exercise program in improving health-related quality of life (HRQOL) is unclear. There is some evidence that an individual exercise program can be effective for this aim. The goal of this study was to compare an individual six-month-long physical exercise program for patients with PAD (Peripheral Arterial Disease) with a traditional exercise program and find the effect of these programs on HRQOL and PAD risk factors. The study included patients who underwent femoral–popliteal artery bypass grafting surgery. Patients were divided into three groups: patients participating in an individual six-month-long physical exercise program (group I), in the standard physical activity program (group II), and in a control group (group III), with no subjects participating in rehabilitation II. Results: group I patients had a significantly (p < 0.001) higher HRQOL at 6 months after their surgery compared with groups II and III. The HRQOL scores were significantly (p < 0.05) lower after surgery among older (≥ 65), overweight participants, as well as among patients with diabetes mellitus and cardiovascular diseases when comparing study results with patients without these risk factors.