Effects of Phase I and Phase II Cardiac Rehabilitation on Health-Related Quality of Life in Patients of Acute Myocardial Infarction

Background: Exercise-based cardiac rehabilitation (EBCR) is a critical component of recovery post-Acute Myocardial Infarction (AMI), yet its impact on health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in resource-limited settings remains understudied. Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate the effects of structured phase I (in-hospital) and phase II (supervised-outdoor based) EBCR on HRQoL among first-time AMI patients admitted to a tertiary healthcare facility in Chattogram, Bangladesh. Methods: A randomized controlled trial was conducted at Chittagong Medical College Hospital, Bangladesh, from May 2024 to April 2025. Seventy patients with first-time STEMI were randomized to cardiac rehabilitation (n=35) or conventional care (n=35). The intervention included supervised inpatient and six-week outpatient exercise rehabilitation. HRQoL was assessed at baseline and 6 weeks using the HeartQoL questionnaire. Data were analyzed using SPSS 28.0; p<0.05 was considered significant. Ethical approval and informed consent were obtained. Results: After 6 weeks, the experimental group demonstrated significantly greater improvement in HRQoL compared to the control group [mean HeartQoL score difference: 7.28 (95% confidence interval (CI): 5.57–9.00); p<0.05]. Sub domain analysis revealed marked improvements in physical [23.25 ± 2.55 and 17.47 ± 2.68 in the experimental and control group, respectively, with a mean difference (MD) of 5.78 (95% CI: 4.47–7.09)] and emotional dimensions [8.88 ± 1.45 and 7.25 ± 1.59, in the experimental and control group, respectively, with a MD of 1.63 (95% CI: 0.87 - 2.39)] of HRQoL in the experimental group. Conclusion: Structured phase I and II EBCR significantly enhances HRQoL in post-AMI patients within a resource-constrained tertiary care setting. These findings advocate for integrating EBCR into standard cardiac care protocols in similar contexts to optimize patient recovery and quality of life. J Com Med Col Teachers’ Asso July 2026; 30(2): 112-118