@Article{info:doi/10.2196/jmir.3027,
author="Brough, Christopher
and Boyce, Sally
and Houchen-Wolloff, Linzy
and Sewell, Louise
and Singh, Sally",
title="Evaluating the Interactive Web-Based Program, Activate Your Heart, for Cardiac Rehabilitation Patients: A Pilot Study",
journal="J Med Internet Res",
year="2014",
month="Oct",
day="29",
volume="16",
number="10",
pages="e242",
keywords="Activate Your Heart; coronary heart disease; cardiac rehabilitation; Internet; Web-based",
abstract="Background: Conventional cardiac rehabilitation (CR) programs are traditionally based on time-constrained, structured, group-based programs, usually set in hospitals or leisure centers. Uptake for CR remains poor, despite the ongoing evidence demonstrating its benefits. Additional alternative forms of CR are needed. An Internet-based approach may offer an alternative mode of delivering CR that may improve overall uptake. Activate Your Heart (AYH) is a Web-based CR program that has been designed to support individuals with coronary heart disease (CHD). Objective: The aim of this pilot study was to observe the outcome for participants following the AYH program. Methods: We conducted a prospective observational trial, recruiting low-risk patients with CHD. Measures of exercise, exercise capacity, using the Incremental Shuttle Walk Test (ISWT), dietary habits, and psychosocial well-being were conducted by a CR specialist at baseline and at 8 weeks following the Web-based intervention. Results: We recruited 41 participants; 33 completed the program. We documented significant improvements in the ISWT distance (mean change 49.69 meters, SD 68.8, P<.001), and Quality of Life (QOL) (mean change 0.28, SD 0.4, P<.001). Dietary habits improved with an increased proportion of patients consuming at least 5 portions of fruit and vegetables per day, (22 [71{\%}] to 29 [94{\%}] P=.01) and an increased proportion of patients consuming at least 2 portions of oily fish per week (14 [45{\%}] to 21 [68{\%}], P=.01). We did not detect changes in anxiety and depression scores or exercise behavior. Conclusions: We observed important improvements in exercise capacity, QOL, and dietary habits in a group of participants following a Web-based CR program. The program may offer an alternative approach to CR. A mobile version has been developed and we need to conduct further trials to establish its value compared to supervised CR. ",
issn="1438-8871",
doi="10.2196/jmir.3027",
url="http://www.jmir.org/2014/10/e242/",
url="https://doi.org/10.2196/jmir.3027",
url="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25359204"
}