Physical activity and associated factors in patients with coronary artery disease

Abstract

AIMS: To identify the frequency and factors associated with physical activity in patients with coronary artery disease during the six months prior to hospitalization for an acute ischemic event. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted in adults diagnosed with coronary artery disease without unstable angina and/or myocardial infarction, admitted to the Cardiology Hospital of Santa Casa de Rio Grande, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. The questionnaire included sociodemographic variables (gender, age, race and marital status), economic (income and education), behavioral (current smoking), nutrition (body mass index), existing morbidities (systolic hypertension and dyslipidemia), health perception and practice of physical activity during leisure time in the six months prior to hospitalization. RESULTS: During the five months of recruitment, 150 patients were interviewed. In the period of six months prior to hospitalization, 25.7% of the patients reported physical activity three times a week for at least 30 minutes. The practice was associated in the crude analysis with the variables family income and hypertension. In the adjusted analysis, the outcome remained associated with family income, a reduction of the practice occurring with increasing of the individuals income. CONCLUSIONS: In this sample, the frequency of regular physical activity prior to the occurrence of an acute coronary event was low and tended to decrease as family income increased.