Home-based Exercise Training in Cardiac Patients

The investigators hypothesize that exercise training program guided by virtual augmented reality glasses or by video from computer screen used at home will improve motivation into exercise training and results in superior adherence to exercise training compared to current practice. The primary objectives of this research project are to study the effects of exercise training guidance by novel technology on 1) exercise capacity, 2) adherence to exercise training, 3) changes in cardiac autonomic function and 4) quality of life in acute coronary syndrome (ACS) patients.

The subjects of the study will be recruited from the consecutive series of patients of men and women admitted to Oulu University Hospital due to an acute coronary syndrome (ACS). The study population will be randomized into control group (n=25) and study group (n=25) matched with age and gender. For all subjects, clinical status including quality of life questionnaire, exercise capacity and autonomic function measurements will be performed at baseline and after exercise training. Exercise training program is six months for both groups according to current guidelines. All the patients will have a detailed and personalized training prescription. Study group will have virtual augmented reality glasses or computer with training video to motivate and control exercise training prescription at home.