Efficacy of an m-Health Cardiac Rehabilitation Program in Heart Failure With Preserved Ejection Fraction

Heart failure (HF) portends substantial morbidity, mortality, and health care costs in the United States and the prevalence of heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) relative to HF with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) has been increasing. HFpEF is associated with a high morbidity and mortality burden and is projected to be the predominant subtype of HF in the near future. While multiple therapies have proven efficacious for patients with HFrEF, no pharmacological agents have demonstrably been shown to improve outcomes in HFpEF, highlighting the need for novel approaches to HFpEF treatment. Exercise intolerance (EI) is the cardinal symptom of HFpEF, which manifests as dyspnea and fatigue. EI leads to functional deconditioning and reduced quality of life (QOL), both of which elevate risk of death and hospitalization in patients with HFpEF. Supervised exercised training is associated with improvements in exercise capacity and QOL in adults with HFpEF. However, supervised exercise has not been widely utilized for the treatment of HFpEF due to logistical and fiscal barriers. Home-based exercise using an m-Health platform is an alternative to supervised exercise that can deliver clinician prescribed exercise interventions and wellness education though monitoring and care coordination. The goal of this study is to evaluate the feasibility and efficacy of a patient specific progressive home-based cardiac rehabilitation program leveraging the technology of the m-Health program in improving functional status, exercise capacity, and QOL in patients with HFpEF.