If a patient, who has undergone angioplasty receives structured follow-up care, such as a cardiac rehabilitation program, it increases chance of survival, researchers from The Mayo Clinic reported in their Magazine: Journal of the American Heart Association.
After studying 14 years' of data, researchers discovered that mortality from all reasons was diminished by 46% in angioplasty patients who were part of cardiac rehabilitation.
Randal Thomas, M.D., M.S. and his team collected details from a Mayo Clinic registry on patients who were treated with PCI (percutaneous coronary interventions).
40% of the 2,400 patients participated in at least one cardiac rehabilitation program (average 13.5 sessions). These programs are believed to enhance survival after heart attacks and they also help patients change their life patterns which improves their results.
Dr. Thomas said: "Our findings show that patients who participate in cardiac rehabilitation following PCI have better long-term survival - about 50 percent better - than those who don't participate in cardiac rehabilitation."
Majority of the individuals studied were Caucasian. Although, the authors said that their results are consistent with other findings of cardiac rehabilitation, Thomas included that further studies should be undertaken to confirm these findings in other populations.
Most insurance companies in the USA offer coverage up to 36 cardiac rehabilitation episodes after PCI, heart attack and a few other heart ailments. Medicare does not cover 80% of expenses.
