Background.

This study aimed to analyze the effects of an outpatient cardiac rehabilitation program in a municipal sports center on functional capacity and adherence to physical activity - among other variables - compared to an in-hospital program.

Methods.

Randomized clinical trial that included two parallel groups of acute coronary syndrome patients who performed a cardiac rehabilitation program that consisted of moderate physical exercise intervals along with learning healthy habits in a municipal sports center (EG) and in a tertiary hospital (CG) between September 2019 and June 2020. We collected the following data: compliance, anthropometrical, clinical, psychological variables, diet and tobacco habits, strength and functional capacity from ergospirometry.

Results.

Twenty-two patients completed the cardiac rehabilitation program (EG=12, CG=10). Significant improvement was observed for cholesterol, the sit-and-stand test, cardiac frequency in VT1 and VT2, and watts in VT1 in the CG, and for HDL-cholesterol, triglycerides, the sit-and-stand test, and frequency, and watts in VT1 in the EG. Better achievement was found in the CG for cardiac frequency in VT2 (11.17 vs 2.88 bpm) and in EG for HDL-cholesterol (11.0 vs 0.63 mg/dL).

Conclusions.

We are unable to determine the effectiveness of the out-of-hospital cardiac rehabilitation program due to a lack of power (high number of withdrawals caused by COVID-19 lockdown). However, the EG achieved higher HDL-cholesterol levels, while cardiac frequency in VT2 was higher in the CG.