Training & Sports

Abstract

The benefits of rehabilitation following coronary artery surgery have been well documented but only three controlled trials following valve surgery with a total of 295 patients have been published to date. These studies have demonstrated similar benefits from exercise training with an increase in VO2 or work capacity at short term and up to 12 months after surgery. Insufficient data exist about a rise in quality of life (QOL) and about return to work which tended only to be facilitated. A multidisciplinary rehabilitation program should be offered for patients undergoing valve surgery. Besides exercise training and psychological counseling patients should be educated about anticoagulation, including drug interaction and self-management if appropriate, about the recognition of important symptoms and about the elements of a healthy lifestyle.In TAvI patients, several well designed and controlled trials show that rehabilitation in these elderlypatients with higher comorbidities is safe and leads to improvement of exercise capacity and improvement in disability favoring home discharge with more independent life at home. Further researchis needed in patients after cardiac valve surgery to address the question of mortality benefits, as well as quality of life, cost effectiveness and return to work.KEY WORDS: Rehabilitation, Cardiac valve, Mortality, Work Capacity, Quality Of Life