Table 5 Descriptions of the interventions of included studies

Levin et al. (1991) [13]

Comprehensive CR Initial Training

24 months

3 months

Yes

Yes^c

Yes^c

Yes^c

Yes

Twice weekly

Patient HR(max) – 5 beats^c

45 mins

Cycling, jogging and calisthenics.

Standard care

No

No

Oldridge et al. (1993) [4]

CR

8 weeks

16 sessionso

Unclear

Yes (Group sessions, 12 h)^d

Yes

Twice weekly^d

65% of Patient HR(max)^d

50 mins^d

Low-level exercise prescription

Usual care

Unclear

Carlson et al. (2000) [18]

Traditional protocol

Weeks 1–4

6 months

1 month

Yes

Yes (3 sessions)

Yes

Yes

Thrice weekly

Patient prescribed HR range, 60–85% capacity

30–40 min

Warm up, aerobic exercise with continuous ECG monitoring and a cool down

Weeks 5–12

2 months

Yes

Yes

Thrice weekly

Patient prescribed HR range, 60–85% capacity

30–40 min

Warm up, aerobic exercise with continuous ECG monitoring and a cool down

Weeks 13–25

3 months

Yes

Yes

Thrice weekly

Patient documented

Patient documented

Maintenance program.

Modified protocol

Weeks 1–4

6 months

1 month

Yes

Yes

(3 sessions)

Yes

Thrice weekly

Patient prescribed HR range, 60–85% capacity

30–40 min

Warm up, aerobic exercise with continuous ECG monitoring and a cool down

Weeks 5–12

2 months

Yes

Yes

(support/education meetings, weekly week 6 > ~1 h)

Yes

Bandura’s self-efficacy theory

Yes

Twice weekly (week 6>)

Weeks 13–25

3 months

Yes

(support/education meetings, weekly ~1 h)

Yes

Yes

Bandura’s self-efficacy theory

Yes

Once weekly (weeks 11–17)

Once bi-weekly (weeks 18–25)

Hall et al. (2002) [15]

REHAB

6 weeks

14 sessions (average attendance)

Yes

Yes

Yes

Up to 4 days per week

NR

NR

Low level training program and home walking program

ERNA

2 weeks

Yes

Yes

Yes

Home walking program

Southard et al. (2003) [9]

Special intervention

(internet)

6 months

NA

Yes

Yes

Yes

Patient dependent

Patient dependent

Patient dependent

Patient dependent

Usual care

Unclear

Yu et al. (2004) [19]

CRPP (Phase I)

7–14 days

Inpatient ambulation program

(Phase II)

8 weeks

16 sessions (Each session, 3 h)

Yes (Each session, 1 h)

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Twice weekly

65–85% age adjusted HR reserve

Each session, 2 h

Aerobic cardiotraining including treadmill, ergometry, rower, stepper, arm ergometry, and dumbbell and weight training.

(Phase III)

6 months

Community-based home exercise program

(Phase IV)

24 months

Maintenance program

Conventional therapy

Yes (2 h talk)

No

Briffa et al. (2005) [12]

Comprehensive outpatient CR

6 weeks

18 sessions

Yes (9 h)

Yes

Yes (4.5 h)

Yes

Yes

Thrice weekly

NR

Each session, 1–1.5 h

Aerobic circuit training and resistance training

Conventional therapy

Yes

Unclear

Reid et al. (2005) [17]

Standard CR

3 months

33 sessions

Yes (Total, 6 h)

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Twice weekly (27 sessions)

Resting HR with 50–80% reserve

1 h

The frequency, intensity, duration and mode of exercise were consistent with guidelines for CAD patients.

Distributed CR

12 months

33 sessions

Yes (Total, 6 h)

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Tapered (27 sessions)

Resting HR with 50–80% reserve

1 h

The frequency, intensity, duration and mode of exercise were consistent with guidelines for CAD patients.

Jolly et al. (2007) [11]

Hospital-based (Hospital 1)

12 weeks

24 sessions (up to 3 h)

Yes (Each session, optional)

No

Yes

Yes (Each session, voluntary)

Yes

Twice weekly

60–75% max HR

Walking, built up to 25–30 min of fixed cycling, rowing

(Hospital 2)

9 weeks

9 sessions (1.5 h)

Yes (Weekly)

Yes (Total, 40 mins)

No

Yes

Yes (Each session)

Yes

Once weekly

NR

Circuit training with six stations (1–2 min per station) and additional walking.

(Hospital 3)

8 weeks

12 sessions (8 sessions × 2.5 h)

Yes (8 sessions)

Yes (Total, 30 mins)

Yes (Total, 30 mins)

Yes

Yes (Weekly)

Yes

Twice weekly

65–75% max HR

45 mins of circuit training

(4 sessions × 1 h)

Yes

Once weekly

65–75% max HR

1 h

45 mins of circuit training

(Hospital 4)

6 weeks

12 sessions 8 sessions (2 h)

Yes (Each session, 30 mins)

Yes (Total, 30 mins)

No

Yes

Yes (Each session)

Yes

Twice weekly

65–75% max HR

Warm up, then 40 mins of exercise on fixed bikes and treadmills

4 sessions (1 h)

No

Once weekly

65–75% max HR

1 h

Warm up, then 40 mins of exercise on fixed bikes and treadmills

Home-based

6 weeks

NA

Yes

No

Yes

Yes

Yes

Recommended daily

Heart Manual

Home exercises, working up to daily walking and other physical activity

Taylor et al. (2007) [10]

Hospital-based

8–10 weeks

8–10 sessions (Each session, 2 h)

Yes^b

Yes^b

Yes^b

Yes^b

Yes

Once weekly

NR

NR

Aerobic exercise^b

Home-based

6 weeks

NA

Yes^b

Yes^b

Yes

Patient dependent

Patient dependent

Patient dependent

Heart Manual Aerobic exercise^b

Dendale et al. (2008) [14]

CR

3 months

Yes

Yes

Yes (8 sessions)

Yes

Yes

Thrice weekly (at least 24 sessions)

Patient dependent; trained near ventilator threshold

~1 h

20 min of treadmill exercise, 20 min of cycling and 10 min of arm cranking

No CR

Yes

Yes (8 sessions)

Yes

Yes

No

Papadakis et al. (2007) [2]

Standard CR

3 months

33 sessions

Yes (6 h) ^a

Yes^a

Yes^a

Yes^a

Yes^a

Yes

Twice weekly (27 sessions)

Resting HR with 50–80% reserve^a

1 h^a

The frequency, intensity, duration and mode of exercise were consistent with guidelines for CAD patients^a

Distributed CR

12 months

33 sessions

Yes (6 h)^a

Yes^a

Yes^a

Yes^a

Yes^a

Yes

Yes

Tapered (27 sessions)

Resting HR with 50–80% reserve^a

1 h^a

The frequency, intensity, duration and mode of exercise were consistent with guidelines for CAD patients^a