Abstract
BACKGROUND: Cardiac rehabilitation (CR) improves quality of life and prognosis in patients with coronary heart disease (CHD). The aim of the study was to evaluate effects of lipid-lowering therapy (LLT) in patients with CHD during and after CR. METHODS: Data from prospective, multicenter registry including 1,100 patients with CHD undergoing CR in 6 German cardiac rehabilitation centers between 2016 and 2018 were analyzed. RESULTS: The rate of statin-treated patients increased from 1,048 (96.3%) on admission to 1,062 (98.4%) at discharge (p < 0.001), falling to 644 (96.3%) and 609 (94.1%) at 3 and 12 months, respectively. Combination treatment with ezetimibe was effective in 8.9% of patients at admission and 28.5% at discharge (p < 0.001), and 23.5% and 25.8% after 3 month and 12 months, respectively. Titration of LLT during CR resulted in median LDL-C-values of 2.27 mmol/L at admission, 1.97 mmol/L at discharge (p < 0.001), 1.94 mmol/L after 3 months, and 1.94 mmol/L after 12 months, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: During CR, LLT was effectively instituted and titrated, resulting in a high rate of statin-treated patients and a significant reduction in LDL-C. From this study, we hypothesize that CR is efficacious for adherence to LLT.