Effect of digital tools in outpatient cardiac rehabilitation including home training-results of the EPICURE study

Clinical, Psychological, Physiological, and Technical Parameters and Their Relationship With Digital Tool Use During Cardiac Rehabilitation: Comparison and Correlation Study

Background

Home and telehealth-based interventions are increasingly used in cardiac rehabilitation, a multidisciplinary model of health care. Digital tools such as wearables or digital training diaries are expected to support patients to adhere to recommended lifestyle changes, including physical exercise programs. As previously published, the EPICURE study (effect of digital tools in outpatient cardiac rehabilitation including home training) analyzed the effects of digital tools, that is, a digital training diary, adherence monitoring, and wearables, on exercise capacity during outpatient cardiac rehabilitation phase III (OUT-III) which includes an approximately 12-week home-training phase. The study encompassed 149 Austrian patients, of which 50 used digital tools.

Objective

The present paper takes a deeper look into the EPICURE data to better understand the relation between the use of digital tools and various psychological, clinical, and physiological parameters, and the relation between these parameters and the improvement of exercise capacity during cardiac rehabilitation.

Methods

For this work, we analyzed questionnaires concerning the patients' cardiac rehabilitation. On all these parameters we performed 2 analyzes: (1) Comparison of the 2 groups with and without digital tools and (2) correlation with the change in the maximum workload as achieved during the exercise stress test. If data pre- and post OUT-III were available, the change in the respective parameter during OUT-III was determined and group analysis and correlation were applied on data pre OUT-III, data post OUT-III, and the change during OUT-III.

Results

We found significant improvements in quality of life in both groups, with no discernible differences between patients with or without digital tools (P=.53). Patients with digital tools perceived significantly higher competence during cardiac rehabilitation (P=.05), and they anticipated higher cardiac risks if nonadherent to physical activity (P=.03). Although, the overall subjectively reported adherence was not significantly different in the 2 groups (P=.50), specific items differed. Patients with digital tools were significantly more likely to do their exercises even when they were tired (P=.01) and less likely to forget their exercises (P=.01). Concerning reasons for (non-) adherence, patients with digital tools reported significantly more often to do their exercises because they enjoyed them (P=.01), whereas they were significantly less likely to stop exercising when muscular pain was worse (P=.01) and to continue doing their exercises when muscular pain improved (P=.02). Finally, patients who reported a high level of concrete planning achieved significantly higher improvements in exercise capacity (r=0.14, P=.04).

Conclusions

This comprehensive analysis provides valuable insights into the multifaceted impact of digital tools on outpatient cardiac rehabilitation including home training, shedding light on the importance of digital tools for increased competence and a higher risk perception during cardiac rehabilitation. In addition, the impact of digital tools on adherence and their influence on patient outcomes were assessed in the evolving landscape of digital health interventions.

Effect of a home-based isometric handgrip training programme on systolic blood pressure in adults: A randomised assessor-blinded trial

OBJECTIVES

To evaluate the effects of 20 weeks of home-based isometric handgrip training (IHT) compared with usual care on systolic blood pressure (SBP) in adults.

DESIGN AND PARTICIPANTS

This was a randomised, controlled, assessor-blinded trial. Participants were randomised to either IHT (intervention group) or usual care (control group).

INTERVENTIONS

Participants randomised to the intervention group performed a session of 16 min of effective workout home-based IHT three times per week for 20 weeks. Participants randomised to the control group were asked to continue their daily activities as usual.

OUTCOMES

The primary outcome was the difference in SBP between groups over 20 weeks. Secondary outcomes were diastolic blood pressure, heart rate, handgrip strength, and self-administered home blood pressure measures.

RESULTS

Forty-eight adults (mean [SD] age, 64 [8] years) were included in this trial. The adjusted between-group mean difference in SBP was 8.12 mmHg (95% CI 0.24 to 16.01, p = 0.04) - favouring the usual care group. No differences between groups were found in any of the home blood pressure measurements.

CONCLUSIONS

This trial showed that 20 weeks of home-based isometric handgrip training was not superior compared to the usual care in lowering SBP.

EVALUATION OF THE ANTIHYPERTENSIVE EFFECT OF THE THYME AMONG PATIENTS SUFFERING FROM HYPERTENSION IN IRAQ

OBJECTIVE

The aim: of research is to test effectiveness of thyme on patients with high blood pressure and comparing between blood pressure of patients who took thyme and patients who did not among different ages.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Materials and methods: This study concerning patients with high blood pressure, (3/2022 to 3/2023). Collecting data was depend on interviewed patients directly to get information. A questionnaire paper includes several questions. Interview included convincing patients to take thyme for 15 days to know how could thyme effect on their blood pressure and over different patients.

RESULTS

Results: A significant difference in distribution between male and female within control and treated groups. A significant difference between all age groups when compared control and treated group, and decrease in systolic blood pressure when patients taking own drug plus thyme compared with patients taking own drug alone, but non-significant decrease in systolic blood pressure when compared with control group, a non-significant decrease in systolic blood pressure in patients taking own drug when compared with control group. A significant decrease in diastolic blood pressure when patients taking own drug plus thyme in comparison with patients taking own drug alone, but non-significant reduction in diastolic blood pressure when compared with group which considered control, non-significant decrease in diastolic blood pressure in patients taking own drug when compared with control group.

CONCLUSION

Conclusions: Thyme herbs induce normalization hypertension and keeps blood pressure in usual range. The available clinical trial data provide evidence for the safe utilization of herbal preparations containing Thyme in the treatment of hypertension.