CONGRESS ABSTRACT

Background: Cardiac rehabilitation (CR) is a cornerstone of secondary prevention after cardiac intervention. Nurses play a central role in patient education, behavioural change, and long-term adherence. Evaluating one-year outcomes is essential to document the real-world effectiveness of multidisciplinary CR programs. Methods: We analysed data from 179 patients enrolled in a structured one-year cardiac rehabilitation (CR) program following cardiac intervention in 2023. Participants were evaluated at baseline, 6 months, and 12 months. Functional capacity was assessed using the Incremental Shuttle Walk Test (ISWT). Cardiovascular risk factors included lipid profile, blood pressure, waist circumference (according to European guideline targets), glycaemic control assessed by HbA1c in patients with diabetes, and smoking status. Psychological outcomes were evaluated using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) and the Global Mood Scale (GMS). Longitudinal changes were analysed using paired t-tests for continuous variables and McNemar tests for paired categorical outcomes. Results At 12 months, functional capacity improved significantly, with a mean ISWT increase of +30.3 m (95% CI 5.3–55.3; p=0.018); 65.9% of patients achieved a clinically meaningful improvement (≥30 m). The proportion of patients achieving LDL-cholesterol <70 mg/dL increased from 16.2% at baseline to 63.1% at one year (McNemar p<0.001), with a mean LDL reduction of −50.5±46.3 mg/dL. Smoking prevalence decreased from 24.6% to 11.3%; among baseline smokers, 58.3% achieved sustained cessation. Glycemic control improved markedly, with 73.2% of patients achieving HbA1c <7% at follow-up compared with 42.9% at baseline. Blood pressure control remained high throughout follow-up, while waist circumference target attainment showed a modest, borderline change. Anxiety and depression scores decreased significantly (HADS-A −0.77, p=0.007; HADS-D −1.00, p<0.001), alongside an improvement in positive mood (GMS +2.67, p<0.001). Conclusions Over one-year, cardiac rehabilitation was associated with clinically meaningful improvements in functional capacity, cardiovascular risk factor control, smoking cessation, and psychological well-being. These findings highlight the central role of multidisciplinary, nursing-led interventions in achieving and sustaining preventive targets in contemporary cardiac rehabilitation programs.