Home Exercise Therapy in Patients with Stable Congestive Heart Failure (CHF): A Scoping Review

Iwan Shalahuddin,1 Udin Rosidin,1 Theresia Eriyani,2 Indra Maulana,3 Sandra Pebrianti4 1Department of Community Nursing, Faculty of Nursing, Padjadjaran University, Sumedang, Indonesia; 2Department of Basic Nursing, Faculty of Nursing, Padjadjaran University, Sumedang, Indonesia; 3Department of Psychiatric Nursing, Faculty of Nursing, Padjadjaran University, Sumedang, Indonesia; 4Department of Medical Surgical Nursing, Faculty of Nursing, Padjadjaran University, Sumedang, IndonesiaCorrespondence: Iwan Shalahuddin, Faculty of Nursing, Padjadjaran University, Jl. Raya Ir. Soekarno KM. 21, Hegarmanah, Jatinangor, Sumedang, West Java, 45363, Indonesia, Tel +62 8122338025, Fax +622 287793411, Email [email protected]: Congestive Heart Failure (CHF) is a chronic condition that drastically lowers patients’ quality of life. In addition to pharmaceutical treatment, physical activity is crucial for improving cardiovascular function. However, limited access to health facilities makes home exercise therapy a more realistic option for many patients with stable conditions.Objective: To identify and map scientific evidence related to the application of home exercise therapy in stable CHF patients and the clinical outcomes it produces, using a scoping review technique.Methods: The search was conducted using keywords related to the predetermined topic of discussion by applying the PICO approach with keywords about adults with congestive heart failure, home exercise therapy, and cardiac rehabilitation. The databases used in the article search were PubMed, Science Direct, Research Gate, Sage Journals, mbase, Web of Science, and Google Scholar.The literature search was done in accordance with the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses) standards. Articles published in the previous ten years were selected using preset inclusion and exclusion criteria.Results: The analysis indicated that several types of home exercise treatment, such as light to moderate intensity aerobic exercise, breathing exercises, and structured activity programs, were safe and useful in enhancing functional ability, quality of life, and decreasing rehospitalization rates. Regularity of exercise, family support, and simple monitoring by health workers greatly influenced the success of the intervention.Conclusion: Home exercise therapy is a feasible and practical approach for patients with stable CHF. Exercise programs tailored to the patient’s condition can help improve cardiovascular function while positively impacting psychological and social aspects.Keywords: congestive heart failure, physical activity, home-based exercise treatment, quality of life, scoping review