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Randomized Controlled Trial
. 2014 Nov 21;111(47):802-8.
doi: 10.3238/arztebl.2014.0802.

Evaluating the efficacy of an education and treatment program for patients with coronary heart disease

Richard J Melamed  1 , Alexander Tillmann, Heidrun-Eva Kufleitner, Uwe Thürmer, Martin Dürsch
Affiliations
Randomized Controlled Trial

Evaluating the efficacy of an education and treatment program for patients with coronary heart disease

Richard J Melamed et al. Dtsch Arztebl Int. .

Abstract

Background: Until now, there has not been any evaluated, disease-specific education and treatment program for patients with coronary heart disease (CHD) in Germany. It is thought that education can improve these patients' physical activity and quality of life and teach them how to lessen their risk factors, what to do in case of an emergency, and how to assess their own medical treatment.

Methods: A randomized controlled open intervention trial was carried out from February 2010 to September 2011. 196 patients were assigned to receive the intervention (patient education), while 199 were assigned to a control group. In an intention-to-treat analysis, baseline and follow-up data were compared after a mean interval of 220 days. The evaluative instruments included the Freiburg Questionnaire of Physical Activity, the MacNew Heart Disease Quality of Life Questionnaire, questionnaires regarding knowledge about CHD, ergometric performance ability, and the body-mass index.

Results: The patients in the intervention group reported having increased their physical activity by a mean of 9.3 MET/week (MET=metabolic equivalent of task), compared to 2.5 MET/week in the control group; the difference of 6.8 MET/week was statistically significant (p = 0.015). The patients in the intervention group also rated their quality of life higher than those in the control group (0.2 ± 0.56 vs. 0.09 ± 0.53 [mean ± standard deviation], p = 0.056). They were significantly better informed than patients in the control group about risk factors and about what to do in an emergency.

Conclusion: Persistently unhealthy lifestyle is a common problem of CHD patients; the education and treatment program presented here may be a suitable means of improving patients' lifestyle for secondary prevention. Further studies will be needed to document long-term efficacy and to determine whether occasional refresher courses will be needed as well.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Course of study—list of important stages in the study
Figure 2
Figure 2
Trend in physical activity—the intervention group included n=196 patients and the control group n=199 patients MET = metabolic equivalent of task
Figure 3
Figure 3
Cover of the wall chart/poster set—graphical representation of the topics of the three education sessions (with permission from Dorothee Wolters, illustrations, Ulrike Didjurgeit, coauthor, and Jürgen Wauch, Dr. Senckenberg Foundation)
See this image and copyright information in PMC

Comment in

  • Modifying Behaviors in Patients With Coronary Heart Disease.
    Behrens T, Heidrich J, Keil U. Behrens T, et al. Dtsch Arztebl Int. 2015 Jun 26;112(26):459. doi: 10.3238/arztebl.2015.0459a. Dtsch Arztebl Int. 2015. PMID: 26205750 Free PMC article. No abstract available.
  • Evaluation Does Exist.
    Falk J. Falk J. Dtsch Arztebl Int. 2015 Jun 26;112(26):459. doi: 10.3238/arztebl.2015.0459b. Dtsch Arztebl Int. 2015. PMID: 26205751 Free PMC article. No abstract available.
  • In Reply.
    Dürsch M, Melamed R, A T. Dürsch M, et al. Dtsch Arztebl Int. 2015 Jun 26;112(26):460. doi: 10.3238/arztebl.2015.0460. Dtsch Arztebl Int. 2015. PMID: 26205752 Free PMC article. No abstract available.

References

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