ABSTRACT
PURPOSE: To study the benefits of the cardiac rehabilitation program (CRP) in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD). METHODS: Between 1986 and 1995 we studied 49 patients with CAD, participants of the CRP, 45 (91.83%) of them men. They were compared with a control group of 37 sedentary patients, 33 (89.18%) men. The main parameters analyzed were the duration of exercise, the maximal oxygen consumption (VO2 max), the metabolic equivalent (MET), the functional aerobic impairment (FAI) and the change in the classification of the cardiorespiratory capacity between two graded exercise tests (GTX). RESULTS: There were improvements in all parameters of the GTX analyzed in the two groups. The patients of the CRP presented a better functional capacity than the sedentary patients and, in relation to the duration of exercise, to the VO2 max and to the MET, the differences in the two groups achieved statistical significance (p < 0.05). We did not observe benefits, in relation to the physical conditioning, with a more prolonged permanence of the patients in the program (more than 24 months). There were no cardiovascular complications with the practice of the exercise in the period analyzed. CONCLUSION: The improvement in the duration of exercise, in the VO2 max and in the MET, the more negative variation in the FAI and the improvement in the classification of the cardiorespiratory capacity between the two GTX of the patients of the CRP demonstrate improvement in functional capacity significantly better than sedentary patients. The CRP analyzed was considered a therapeutic method safe and efficient after a coronary event.