Conference Proceedings - School of Nursing & Midwifery - Trinity ...

School of Nursing & Midwifery, Trinity College Dublin: 8 th Annual Interdisciplinary Research Conference
Transforming Healthcare Through Research, Education & Technology: 7 th – 9 th November 2007
Conference Proceedings
Fitness results were categorised into fitness categories taking age
and gender into account. Table 1 shows the mean greatest
improvements in fitness occurred in the lower fitness categories.
Table 1: Improvements in fitness following a cardiac rehabilitation
programme by fitness category
Starting fitness level Mean changes in MET’s from entry
to end of Phase III cardiac
rehabilitation
n
1 Low 3.36 13
2 Fair 2.58 6
3 Average 1.37 8
4 Good 1.88 13
5 High 0.83 9
6 Excellent -0.96 18
When these results are examined from an individual point of view it
is evident that at the lower fitness levels (levels 1, 2, 3 (low, fair
and average fitness) the vast majority of patients improved their
fitness level, a small proportion maintained their fitness level and
none or a very small proportion showed a decline in their fitness
level (see Figure 1). At starting fitness categories 4 (good) and 5
(excellent) you get a large proportion of patients maintaining their
fitness. This was what was expected at these levels of fitness
particularly in view that of the fact that it was a sub maximal
exercise stress test and as outlined in the methodology 34% of
patients achieved the maximum level of fitness measured. What
was worrying was that in a small proportion of patients who
commenced at fitness level stage 4 (good) and stage 5(excellent)
their fitness declined over the period of the programme ( see Figure
1).
Figure 1: Changes in fitness level post programme categorised by
pre programme fitness level
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