Rehabilitees
cognitive diseases, coronary heart disease, memory diseases, angioplasty
MAY, CORONARY HEART DISEASE, MUSCULOSKELETAL DISORDERS
A total of 59 rehabilitees within the 6 rehabilitation clusters were recruited among the rehabilitees attending coronary heart disease rehabilitation courses between September 2015 and May 2017. The rehabilitees applied for the course with a physician’s referral. The primary eligibility criterion for the study was an adult (aged <18 years) with coronary heart disease and having independent basic level of management of IT and remote technology applications. The exclusion criteria included having serious musculoskeletal disorders, cognitive diseases, and memory diseases that affect essential functional abilities to ensure the capability of rehabilitees to use technology. The inclusion and exclusion criteria were based on functional ability because this study is interested in the added value of technology in cardiac rehabilitation, regardless of the background of the rehabilitees, for example, medication or comorbidities. All rehabilitees who underwent cardiac rehabilitation fulfilled the inclusion criteria. There were no statistically significant differences in the demographic and clinical characteristics at baseline between the remote technology intervention and reference groups (The risk of comorbidities and cointerventions was evaluated before the rehabilitation intervention using a baseline questionnaire. The number and type of comorbidities were assessed in the questionnaire (The mean age of the rehabilitees was 60 (SD 6; range 41-66) years, and 81% (48/59) of them were men. Rehabilitees underwent coronary angioplasty or coronary artery bypass 3-12 months before the intervention.Baseline demographic and clinical characteristics of the rehabilitees.