Coronary Artery Disease/rehabilitation

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Editorial

Cardiovascular Rehabilitation in Coronary Artery Disease and Better Knowledge of Its Own Disease

In the last ten to fifteen years, we are seen more and more concern with patients´ awareness about their diseases.^– Campaigns have been brought to the public to teach them about symptoms and signs that might bring concern and make them ask for help and go to an emergency room or, in the United States to call 911. This is true especially for patients with coronary artery disease (CAD), given the possibility of better quality of life and in some cases even a better prognosis of the disease in respect to morbidity and mortality.

Beside this kind of campaigns, recently others started to aware people already with a diagnosis of CAD to the symptoms that may alert them of a problem and the consciousness about all medicines that modify the course of the disease and ways of life that are proved to contribute to this amelioration, as is physical activity.^–

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Original Article

Tai Chi Chuan for Cardiac Rehabilitation in Patients with Coronary Arterial Disease

Rosane Maria Nery et al. Maurice Zanini Juliana Nery Ferrari César Augusto Silva … Leonardo Fontanive Farias João Carlos Comel Karlyse Claudino Belli Anderson Donelli da Silveira Antonio Cardoso Santos Ricardo Stein

Background:

Several studies have shown that Tai Chi Chuan can improve cardiac function in patients with heart disease.

Objective:

To conduct a systematic review of the literature to assess the effects of Tai Chi Chuan on cardiac rehabilitation for patients with coronary artery disease.

Methods:

We performed a search for studies published in English, Portuguese and Spanish in the following databases: MEDLINE, EMBASE, LILACS and Cochrane Register of Controlled Trials. Data were extracted in a standardized manner by three independent investigators, who were responsible for assessing the methodological quality of the manuscripts.

Results:

The initial search found 201 studies that, after review of titles and abstracts, resulted in a selection of 12 manuscripts. They were fully analyzed and of these, nine were excluded. As a final result, three randomized controlled trials remained. The studies analyzed in this systematic review included patients with a confirmed diagnosis of coronary artery disease, all were clinically stable and able to exercise. The three experiments had a control group that practiced structured exercise training or received counseling for exercise. Follow-up ranged from 2 to 12 months.

Conclusion:

Preliminary evidence suggests that Tai Chi Chuan can be an unconventional form of cardiac rehabilitation, being an adjunctive therapy in the treatment of patients with stable coronary artery disease. However, the methodological quality of the included articles and the small sample sizes clearly indicate that new randomized controlled trials are needed in this regard.