Assessment of a Therapeutic Education Program for Coronary Patients: Quasi-Experimental Study

Abstract Introduction Therapeutic education is a patient-centered, approach aimed at addressing the patient’s needs and resources. It is intended not only to help the patient understand their illness and treatment but also to empower them to become autonomous. So far, in Tunisia, we lack structures for therapeutic education specifically tailored for coronary patients. In this context, we implemented a Therapeutic Education Program (TEP) for coronary patients visiting the cardiology department at Sahloul University Hospital with the aim of assessing the impact of this program in the short, medium (3 months), and long term (12 months). Methods We conducted a quasi-experimental study on TEP for patients with coronary artery disease over one year at Sahloul University Hospital. Patients were divided into two groups, intervention, and control. Outcome measures included major cardiovascular events, improvement in knowledge, and biological indicators, with statistical analysis performed using SPSS in accordance with ethical considerations. Results The study included 129 patients, of whom 38 underwent a therapeutic education program. TEP demonstrated a significant improvement in knowledge about coronary artery disease, with program satisfaction rated ≥8 on a scale of 0 to 10.Our program also showed improvement in biological parameters, particularly lipid profiles, within the educated group before and after 3 months, such as LDL cholesterol levels (2.53 vs 1.88, P < 0.001), and compared to the control group (1.88 vs 2.9, P = 0.001).Moreover, it led to a significant reduction in long-term cardiovascular events compared to the control group (21.1% vs 59.3%, p < 0.001). Conclusions this study underscores the crucial importance of therapeutic education in enhancing the care and quality of life of coronary patients, highlighting its central role in a proactive, personalized approach to medical management. Key messages • The significance of therapeutic education in empowering patients to understand their condition and become self-reliant. • Need for Structured Programs specifically for coronary patients in Tunisia.