Objective: To evaluate the outcomes of a cardiac rehabilitation program in patients undergoing heart valve surgery at Hanoi Medical University Hospital.
Methods: A prospective interventional study with a pre-post treatment comparison.
Results: A total of 30 patients were enrolled, with a mean age of 53.4 ± 12.6 years. The mean length of stay in the cardiac intensive care unit was 2.93 ± 0.83 days, while the mean postoperative hospital stay was 13.97 ± 5.54 days. Following the rehabilitation program, mean inspiratory volume measured by an incentive spirometer increased significantly from 733.3 ± 118.4 ml to 2063.3 ± 476.0 ml (p < 0.001). The six-minute walk distance improved from 342.37 ± 52.54m to 355.03 ± 58.97m, and the two-minute step test increased from 127.97 ± 34.52 steps to 134.67 ± 36.65 steps (p < 0.001). Furthermore, the mean Borg rating of perceived exertion score decreased significantly from 2.53 ± 0.78 points to 1.63 ± 0.72 points (p < 0.001).
Conclusions: Research shows that, early cardiac rehabilitation following heart valve surgery is safe and may improve exercise capacity, pulmonary function, and facilitate earlier hospital discharge.