Health aims of patients following myocardial infarct and heart surgery: are the goals realistic?
Niederhauser, H.U.; Sieber, R.
Schweizerische Medizinische Wochenschrift 116(49): 1729-1733
1986
ISSN/ISBN: 0036-7672 PMID: 3492761 Document Number: 285549
134 patients (11 females and 123 males, mean age 52 years) taking part in our rehabilitation program after myocardial infarction or bypass surgery were asked to say what they were aiming for as far as exercise, smoking habits and body weight are concerned. Follow-up was carried out by a questionnaire 6 months later. 120 patients (90%) were prepared to engage in some exercise on a regular basis. 112 (86%) of the 130 patients surviving actually met the criteria at follow-up. On admission 15 patients were smokers and at discharge still 12; 9 of whom intended to stop smoking. This would have left a smoking fraction of 2%. At the key date, however, 19% were either still smokers or had become smokers again. Only 43 patients were able to lose as much weight as they intended. Yet during the follow-up period the average weight of all patients remained constant. In short, the aims of our coronary patients are pitched extraordinarily high. Regular exercise is achieved easily, but with regard to smoking habits and required loss of weight the intentions are obviously somewhat too optimistic.