Is there a need for cardiac rehabilitation for patients admitted to hospital with angina pectoris?

Abstract

Coronary heart disease (CHD) risk factors are important to modify due to their association with CHD. Cardiac rehabilitation providing secondary prevention aims to reduce these CHD risk factors. This study was undertaken to explore the need for change in the management of secondary prevention in the patient admitted to hospital with angina pectoris and the patient's learning needs of the modifiable CHD risk factors. A small scale descriptive survey design was utilized using triangulation methodology with a convenience sample of 40 patients admitted with angina pectoris to a 12 bedded Coronary Care Unit (CCU) in Crosshouse Hospital, Kilmarnock. Ethical approval was granted from Ayrshire and Arran research ethics committee. A questionnaire was utilized for collecting quantitative data on the patient's modifiable CHD risk factors and a semi-structured interview schedule for collecting qualitative data on the patient's learning needs of their modifiable CHD risk factors.Results : Many patients with angina pectoris still have modifiable risk factors not yet modified just prior to discharge (n = 37; 92.5%). Many patients wish further information on how to modify these risk factors.Conclusion : There is potential to improve the modification of the CHD risk factors that patients with angina pectoris have when admitted to hospital. The patients themselves wish further information on how to modify these risk factors and cardiac rehabilitation can offer this.