High-intensity cardiac rehabilitation training of a police officer for his return to work and sports after coronary artery bypass grafting

Abstract

A 39-year-old male police officer with coronary artery disease enrolled in our cardiac rehabilitation (CR) program after coronary artery bypass grafting. He wanted to return not only to his job but also to playing ice hockey and outdoor soccer, and his responses to a self-assessment scale confirmed that he identified strongly as an athlete. On the basis of this unique profile, the CR staff designed an occupation- and sport-specific exercise program that was symptom limited and enabled the patient to train safely, but earlier and at a higher intensity than is typically allowed in conventional CR programs. The exercises were selected to replicate the various combinations of muscular strength, agility, and cardiovascular endurance required by the patient's police work and two competitive team sports. He completed the high-intensity training with no clinically significant adverse symptoms.

Figure 1

The patient (a) back at work as a police officer and once again playing (b) outdoor soccer and (c) ice hockey after high-intensity cardiac rehabilitation training following coronary artery bypass grafting.