Abstract
BACKGROUND: As the aging process has accelerated, psychological problems in older patients with chronic heart failure (CHF) have become increasingly prominent, significantly affecting their quality of life and prognosis. This study explored a sports rehabilitation program based on the concept of medical care-family integration to provide patients with comprehensive and effective rehabilitation interventions and improve their health status. AIM: To explore the effects of medical care-family integration-based exercise rehabilitation in older patients with CHF and psychological problems. METHODS: Data from 118 older patients with CHF and psychological problems were retrospectively analyzed. Patients were divided into conventional (n = 56) and exercise rehabilitation groups (n = 62). The results of the 6-min walking distance (6 MWD), N-terminal B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP), left ventricular end-diastolic diameter (LVEDD), left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), Minnesota living with heart failure questionnaire (MLHFQ), generalized anxiety disorder-7 (GAD-7) scale, 9-item patient health questionnaire (PHQ-9) and Athens insomnia scale (AIS) were compared before and after intervention. RESULTS: After intervention, there were significant differences in the number of patients with depression and anxiety between the two groups. There was also a significant difference in the distribution of sleep disorders. The PHQ-9 score, GAD-7 score, AIS score, NT-proBNP value, LVEDD value, physical field, emotional field, other fields, and MLHFQ total scores were lower in the exercise rehabilitation group compared to the conventional rehabilitation group, while the 6 MWD and LVEF values were higher compared to the conventional rehabilitation group (P < 0.05). During the intervention period, the readmission rate of the exercise rehabilitation group (1.61%) was significantly lower than that of the conventional rehabilitation group (12.50%) (χ (2) = 3.930, P = 0.047). CONCLUSION: This exercise rehabilitation program with medical care-family integration can improve cardiac function and quality of life, alleviate psychological problems, and reduce readmission rates in older patients with CHF.