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

PMID: 29750058
Journal: Open access journal of sports medicine
Published: 2018
Authors: 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.

## Population

- Australian outpatient cardiac rehabilitation programs for coronary artery disease.
- Sample size: 261
- Fitness level: Cardiac rehabilitation clientele; program-level survey
- Health status: Coronary artery disease rehabilitation programs

## Methodology

- Cross-sectional observational web-based survey
- Survey period not reported; program practices described cross-sectionally
- Australian outpatient cardiac rehabilitation programs

## Protocol

- Typical Australian CR practice.
- Modality: 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.
- Session duration: 46-60 min commonly reported.
- Frequency: Once weekly commonly reported.
- Program length: 6-8 weeks commonly reported.

## Outcomes

### HIIT use
Status: no clear change
Only 1% of programs reported high-intensity exercise.

2 of 171 responses to intensity question.

### Safety perception
Status: mixed
27% believed HIIT was safe, 42% were unsure, and 31% believed it unsafe.

209 respondents.

### Barriers
Status: mixed
Staffing, monitoring resources, and knowledge were the leading HIIT barriers.

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

## Practical 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 And Adherence

- 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.

## Original Sources

- [PubMed](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29750058/) (pubmed)
- [DOI](https://doi.org/10.2147/OAJSM.S160306) (doi)
- [PMC full text](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5933362/) (full text)

## Agent Guidance

Preserve the paper-level scope of this note. Do not generalize beyond the population, protocol, measured outcomes, and limitations above.