Fitness Trackers, Virtual Coaching Help Patients Stay Fit After Cardiac Rehab

Treatment TermsCardiac prevention and cardiac rehabilitation Author Sarah Avery Overview Heart patients typically do well during cardiac rehab programs but tend to lose momentum once the formal gym-based regimens end. Duke Health researchers wanted to know if something could be done to change that result. Their small study found that a follow-up program that uses wearable fitness trackers and virtual sessions with a health coach helped heart patients sustain lifestyle improvements after their cardiac rehab program ended. Content Blocks Header Mobile Health Helps Maintain Fitness Gains Content" The benefits of a cardiac rehab program are well-established, but the gains tend to be temporary, ” saidWilliam Kraus, MD, a Duke cardiologist who oversaw the study.  “Good habits are hard to maintain for a lot of people once they are on their own and no longer have someone overseeing their progress.”To understand whether a follow-up mobile health program could provide a measure of oversight and motivation outside of a gym-based regimen,  Dr. Kraus and Duke exercise physiologist Brian Duscha developed a 12-week program that relied on activity trackers, a daily step count, and 12 weeks of personalized virtual sessions with a health coach who counseled the patients over the phone or computer. A small group of heart patients who were participating in cardiac rehab was enrolled in their small study. Following the conclusion of the 12-week program, the rese...
Source: dukehealth.org: Duke Health News - Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Source Type: news