PMID 29750058

Research
All papers

Australian cardiac rehabilitation exercise parameter characteristics and perceptions of high-intensity interval training: a cross-sectional survey

Hannan AL, Hing W, Climstein M, Coombes JS, Furness J, Jayasinghe R, Byrnes J

Question

What are Australian outpatient cardiac rehabilitation exercise practices, and how often is HIIT used or perceived as safe?

Summary

This national survey found that Australian cardiac rehabilitation programs rarely used HIIT, most used moderate-intensity sessions once weekly for 6-8 weeks, and many clinicians were unsure whether HIIT was safe in cardiac rehabilitation.

Methodology

  • Australian outpatient cardiac rehabilitation programs for coronary artery disease.
  • 261 participants.
  • Cardiac rehabilitation exercise.
  • Work intervals: HIIT definition cited 30 s to 4 min, but current programs rarely used it.
  • Recovery: HIIT definition cited 30 s to 4 min active recovery.
  • Intensity: Usually moderate intensity.
  • 46-60 min commonly reported.
  • Once weekly commonly reported.
  • 6-8 weeks commonly reported.
  • Cross-sectional observational web-based survey
  • HIIT use, HIIT safety perceptions, and CR adherence were tracked.

Outcomes

HIIT use

Only 1% of programs reported high-intensity exercise.

2 of 171 responses to intensity question.

No clear change

Safety perception

27% believed HIIT was safe, 42% were unsure, and 31% believed it unsafe.

209 respondents.

Mixed

Barriers

Staffing, monitoring resources, and knowledge were the leading HIIT barriers.

Lack of staff 25%, monitoring resources 20%, staff knowledge 18%.

Mixed

Insights

  • HIIT for cardiac users should be presented as clinician-supervised and clearance-dependent.
  • Implementation barriers are as important as physiology in clinical populations.

Limitations

  • Missing data because survey questions were not mandatory.
  • No definitions were supplied for some questions.
  • No reliability testing of the survey.
  • Respondent profession type was not identified.

Safety

  • No adverse events were collected as outcomes in this survey.
  • Only 27% of CR respondents believed HIIT was safe, 42% were unsure, and 31% believed it unsafe.
  • The article states HIIT adoption would require prescreening, adequate monitoring resources, staff knowledge, and medical consent for appropriate high-fitness cardiac rehabilitation participants.