2.4. Research Plan
DISEASE
The conducted trial was a randomised experimental clinical study. Taking the established criteria into account, 10 patients were excluded from the study, while the remaining patients were randomised into 2 groups: the experimental group (E) consisting of 20 patients and the control group (C) comprising 20 patients. Patients were recruited between January 2019 and October 2020. The unexpected and difficult time of the COVID-19 pandemic caused difficulties in conducting research among patients from the high-risk group, who, fearing for their health, decided to abandon the project and leave the city for the countryside. In addition, during the study period, some patients were diagnosed with other disease entities, which constituted the criterion for exclusion from the programme. Finally, 13 patients remained in the experimental group and 15 patients in the control (The time of observation covered a period of 6 months. The programme of cardiac rehabilitation and NW training lasted 6 weeks. Two follow-up periods were specified, respectively after 2 (I F-U) and 4 (II F-U) months from completion of the programme. In addition, a period of 4 weeks from the end of the programme was selected for the assessment.