Review: short duration of bed rest was as safe as long duration after acute uncomplicated myocardial infarction.

In patients with acute uncomplicated myocardial infarction (MI), does the duration of bed rest affect outcomes?METHODSData sources: Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Medline, EMBASE/Excerpta Medica, PASCAL BioMed, PsycINFO, and BIOSIS Previews (to August 2005); reference lists; and experts.Study selection and assessment: randomised controlled trials (RCTs) and quasi-RCTs that compared short (1-14 d) and long (5-28 d) durations of bed rest after acute uncomplicated MI. 15 RCTs (n=2958; median mean age 60 y; median 81% men) published between 1954 and 1989 met the selection criteria. Quality of individual trials was assessed based on randomisation method, blinded assessment of outcomes, and intention-to-treat analysis.Outcomes: all-cause mortality, death from cardiac causes, reinfarction, arrhythmia, and thromboembolic complications.MAIN RESULTSShort durations of bed rest did not differ from long durations of bed rest for all-cause mortality, cardiac mortality, reinfarction, arrhythmia, or thromboembolic complications (table).CONCLUSIONIn patients with acute uncomplicated myocardial infarction, short durations of bed rest did not adversely affect outcomes compared with longer durations.