ACTIVATE

Background

The aim of the study is to improve the health of people with long-term angina which limits daily activities. We want to see whether a rehabilitation programme combined with usual heart care is better than usual heart care alone in improving the health of people with long-standing stable angina. Angina is chest pain brought on by physical exertion or stress and is caused by narrowed blood vessels restricting the flow of blood to the heart muscle. It can severely limit day to day activities. Cardiac rehabilitation programmes promote the physical and mental health of people with heart disease by increasing their understanding and improving their physical fitness levels. Cardiac rehabilitation is routinely recommended after heart attacks or heart surgery, but not for people with stable angina who do not require an operation. Although cardiac rehabilitation might also benefit people with stable angina, more evidence is needed before it can be used in standard care.

Trial Design

In the ACTIVATE study participants will be split into two treatment groups randomly:

• One group will receive standard of care treatment plus have access to the online 'Activate Your Heart' rehabilitation programme.
• The other group will receive standard of care treatment only.

'Activate Your Heart' is an interactive website for participants to use at home. The programme was developed by a team of health care professionals, people with angina and software designers. The programme helps participants to set goals, monitor progress and gives feedback on how participants are doing. It encourages participants to gradually increase their activity level. A paper manual will be available for participants who are unable to use the online version or for those who feel they would prefer a paper version.