Cardiac Rehabilitation and Outcome in Stable Outpatients With Recent Myocardial Infarction

ObjectiveTo compare the mortality rate and the rate of subsequent ischemic events (myocardial infarction [MI], ischemic stroke, or limb amputation) in patients with recent MI according to the use of cardiac rehabilitation or no rehabilitation.DesignLongitudinal observational study.SettingOngoing registry of outpatients.ParticipantsPatients (N=1043) with recent acute MI were recruited; of these, 521 (50%) participated in cardiac rehabilitation.InterventionsNot applicable.Main Outcome MeasuresSubsequent ischemic events and mortality rates were registered.ResultsOver a mean follow-up of 18 months, 50 patients (4.8%) died and 49 (4.7%) developed 52 subsequent ischemic events (MI: n=43, ischemic stroke: n=6, limb amputation: n=3). Both the mortality rate (.16 vs 5.57 deaths per 100 patient-years; rate ratio=.03; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.0–0.1]) and the rate of subsequent ischemic events (1.65 vs 4.54 events per 100 patient-years; rate ratio=0.4; 95% CI, 0.2–0.7) were significantly lower in cardiac rehabilitation participants than in nonparticipants. Multivariate analysis confirmed that patients in cardiac rehabilitation had a significantly lower risk of death (hazard ratio=.08; 95% CI, .01–.63; P=.016) and a nonsignificant lower risk of subsequent ischemic events (hazard ratio=.65; 95% CI, .30–1.42).ConclusionsThe use of cardiac rehabilitation in patients with recent MI was independently associated with a significant decrease in the mortality rate and a nonsignificant decrease in the rate of subsequent ischemic events.