The effects of physical activity program on functional capacity and mortality risk level in heart failure patients: Randomised controlled trial

The research is a randomized controlled experimental study conducted to determine the effect of physical activity program applied to individuals with heart failure on functional capacity and mortality risk level. The study was completed with a total of 40 HF patients, including the intervention and control group. A physical activity program lasting at least 30 minutes each session was applied to heart failure patients in the intervention group, three days a week for three months, and the walks of the patients were followed by a pedometer. A total of 12 weeks of walking program process was evaluated during in the 3 follow-ups, weekly phone calls and monthly home visits. After the physical activity program dyspnea, insomnia, peripheral edema and chest pain symptoms, Fatigue Severity Scale, N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide, Minnesota Living with Heart Failure Questionnaire, Meta-Analysis Global Group in Chronic Heart Failure mean scores and New York Heart Association class decreased at follow-ups. Moreover, metabolic equivalent, 6-Min walking test distance and ejection fraction level averages increased in the three month follow-ups. Physical activity program applied to heart failure patients decreased N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide and mortality risk level and increased functional capacity. In the study, data were obtained from individuals diagnosed with HF who applied to the cardiology outpatient clinics of a hospital between December 2018 and July 2021. Anticipating data loss in the study, 26 intervention and 27 control group patients were reached and a total of 53 patients were included in the study. The sample distribution was based on the random numbers table determined on the www.random.org website, and the patients were distributed to the groups. With the patients who dropped out according to the termination criteria of the study, the study was completed with a total of 40 patients, 20 of which were in the intervention group and 20 in the control group (effect size = 0.95, α = 0.05, and 90% statistical power).