Tests exercise intensity methods in heart attack patients during cardiac rehabilitation
Tests whether pleasure-focused exercise intensity raises activity in adults after acute coronary syndrome.
Plain-language title generated from the registry record
Registry title: Manipulating Exercise Intensity and Affective Responses for Cardiac Rehabilitation Program Acute Coronary Syndrome Patients
Key facts
- Where
- Leiria, PortugalSee the 2 sites
Where in Portugal
- Hospital de LeiriaLeiria, PortugalTaking people
- Unidade Local de Saúde da Região de LeiriaLeiria, PortugalNot yet recruiting
Questions to ask the study team
- How often do I need to come in, and for how long each time?
- Are travel costs paid?
- Can I keep my own doctor?
- What happens if I want to stop?
Trial details
- Who runs it
- Instituto Politécnico de Leiria
- Trial code
- NCT07105943
- Record updated
- 4 May 2026
- Original description
The goal of this clinical trial is to learn if pleasure-oriented exercise intensity manipulation increases physical activity (PA) behavior in patients who have suffered acute coronary syndrome during a cardiac rehabilitation program. The main question it aims to answer is:Read full original descriptionShow less
Manipulating Exercise Intensity and Affective Responses on a Cardiac Rehabiliattion Program for Patients With Acute Coronary Syndrome: Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial
The goal of this clinical trial is to learn if pleasure-oriented exercise intensity manipulation increases physical activity (PA) behavior in patients who have suffered acute coronary syndrome during a cardiac rehabilitation program. The main question it aims to answer is:
• the manipulation of exercise intensity performed to produce more pleasure and arousal will impact the PA behavior? Researchers will compare the PA levels and affective responses to see if the manipulation of exercise intensity guided to pleasure and arousal works to increase PA behavior compared to the control group who will follow a conventional exercise program.
Participants will do:
* sixteen individualized hospital exercise sessions (two per week) and complementary physical activity program integrated into their daily life * be evaluated before and at the end of the exercise sessions and after 3 months
Selection criteria include:; patients older than 18 years; diagnosis of ACS within the past 12 months who have not previously participated in a CR program; patients classified as low-risk (Class B) according to the American Heart Association: (a) New York Heart Association (NYHA) class I or II, (b) exercise capacity greater than 6 METs, (c) no evidence of heart failure, (d) no signs of myocardial ischemia or angina at rest or during exercise testing at or below 6 METs, (e) appropriate systolic blood pressure response during exercise, and (f) absence of sustained or non-sustained ventricular tachycardia at rest or during exercise; Standard exclusion criteria include:; left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) < 40% at rest; uncontrolled arrythmias (e.g., complex ventricular arrhythmias, atrial fibrillation or flutter with rapid ventricular response, second-degree atrioventricular block Mobitz type II, or third-degree atrioventricular block); presence of an implantable cardiac device; symptomatic peripheral arterial disease; comorbidities that may interfere with the ability to perform the exercise program safely.