The CopenHeart Trial

The CopenHeart trial international kick off meeting at ESC Congress 2011 Paris (30/8)

Topics: Cardiovascular Nursing

Date: 05 Aug 2011

Patients with complex cardiac conditions receive highly sophisticated technical interventions and medical treatment. Nevertheless, patients do not benefit fully from these treatments due to a lack of equally high quality rehabilitation. Complex cardiac conditions negatively affect physical, mental, cognitive and/or social functioning, resulting in high morbidity and high health care utilisation. The CopenHeart hypothesis is that rehabilitation can improve these impairments in the short term and reduce morbidity and health care utilisation in the long term.

The CopenHeart project is based on a broad intervention and evaluation model using mixed methods research. The cornerstone of the project is four randomised clinical trials among four populations of patients with complex cardiac conditions: ventricular arrhythmia requiring an implantable cardioverter defibrillator; aortic valvular heart disease with aortic valvular replacement; atrial fibrillation treated with radiofrequency ablation; patients treated for endocarditis. The randomised trials will be supported by qualitative studies, organisational analysis and economic evaluation.

The CopenHeart trial is addressing rehabilitation of patients with complex heart disease.
Intervention consists of: exercise training, psycho-educational intervention and medical follow-up.
The trial is initiated and lead by Dr. Zwisler (physician) and Dr. Berg (nurse) FESC, board member of CCNAP.
Multidisciplinary in its intervention and comprised of a broad range of interdisciplinary international expertise.
With international research collaborators and partners in Europe and the USA, the project is based at Copenhagen University Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark.
8 ph.d. students, both nurses and physicians during the 5 year project period.
3 million Euro budget.

Information at www.CopenHeart.org from 26 August 2011.
Reporting beginning in 2012.

Contact for more information
CopenHeart@rh.dk
Phone: +45 3545 1205