ABSTRACT
Cardiac rehabilitation programs (CRP), include exercise training, medical advice and education related to cardiovascular pathologies, psychosocial support and behavioral characteristics. This approach shows a sustained positive impact over the cardiovascular risk factors, the physical training and the health-related quality of life of the patients and on adherence to dietary recommendations. During the 2004 the authors started the implementation of the Integral Teaching Program (ITP), focused to convalescent patients after a cardiovascular event and with the purpose to enter in a plan of cardiac rehabilitation and secondary preventions with exercise training programs and with a multidisciplinary approach. The aim of this report was to describe the results of the ITP in a cohort of patients submitted to cardiovascular surgery. In a second term, the impact of the ITP will be measured including the total and partial adherence to the different planes of cardiac rehabilitation programs and the management of vascular risk factors. Also it was studied the improvement in physiological outcomes and health-related quality of life in patients with acute myocardial infarction.