Effects of a lifestyle-change program on cardiac risk factors after angioplasty

ABSTRACT: Aim. The aim of this study was to explore the behavioural and clinical impact of a lifestyle-change intervention for cardiac risk factors in patients after angioplasty.In patients with multivessel coronary artery disease who are undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention coronary angioplasty is the standard method for guiding the placement of the stent.A quasi-experimental design was used.Patients who received percutaneous coronary intervention at a medical centre in Zanjan were sampled by convenience and assigned to two groups. The groups represented alternate times for delivering education. Individuals who received education pre-discharge were compared to individuals who received education post-discharge on the outcomes. Measures of behavioural and clinical outcomes were compared before angioplasty, after and follow-up. Content validity was demonstrated through evaluations made by a panel of experts. The internal consistency reliability coefficient was found to be 0.8 in this study. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze demographic data and repeated measures analysis of covariance was used to determine differences in the outcomes in the groups.The results revealed that the amount of cigarette smoking, blood pressure control, high cholesterol, frequency of physical activity and dietary behaviour were modified in both groups. Incorporating a lifestyle-change intervention into a postoperative cardiac rehabilitation program effectively modified cardiac risk factors and may improve postangioplasty recovery and prognosis.