Thank you for visiting nature. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer. In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript. Despite consistent drug therapy, physical activity PA is an integral part of current guidelines.
Yet adherence to regular PA and exercise interventions is poor and potential predictors and barriers to PA remain elusive. We examined the effects of a telemonitoring-based exercise intervention in CHF patients in a prospective, randomized-controlled , multicenter trial. The average number of completed exercise instruction videos provided via an online application was 1.
Our results show the influence of certain baseline characteristics as barriers and predictors of PA progression.
As studies typically include diagnosed cases of CHF only, the true prevalence is likely to be higher 3 , 4. Physical inactivity and sedentary behavior are considered as the leading modifiable risk factors for cardiovascular diseases and all-cause mortality 5. Furthermore, adherence to exercise interventions in patients with CHF remains poor; it appears to be even more difficult to achieve than dietary changes and consistent drug therapy 8.
Factors related to this low adherence include chronic comorbidities, little disease-related knowledge and clinical depression but also limited access to cardiac rehabilitation services and lack of social support for CHF patients 9 , 10 , In light of this, there is a need for safe and effective strategies, independent of the place of residence, in order to facilitate PA in patients with CHF.
