TORONTO, Jan. 27 (UPI) -- A University of Toronto study says it takes nine months to reach peak improvement for people undergoing cardiac rehabilitation.
Currently, only three months are often prescribed for such rehabilitation.
The new study found a 52-week rehabilitation program that combined supervised and unsupervised exercise sessions was effective in improving both physical and mental health, with the peak occurring at 38 weeks, or nine months.
"To receive the optimal benefits in physical fitness and quality of life, patients should attend cardiac rehabilitation programs which last for at least six, and up to nine months," says Dr. Terence Kavanagh, one of the researchers.
Increased program length also gives health care professionals a longer period to help patients make heart-healthy lifestyle changes that lower the risk of future cardiac events, such as quitting smoking or switching to a low-fat diet.
In the study, 623 male patients with coronary heart disease were randomized to one of two programs. The first used weekly supervised exercise sessions over 52 weeks, while the second used weekly supervised sessions for 26 weeks followed by one supervised session per month for the remaining 26 weeks.
The study's results appear in the December issue of the Journal of Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation,
