Early ambulation before percutaneous coronary intervention in patients with non-ST elevation myocardial infarction: a quasi-experimental study of haemodynamics and clinical outcomes
Restricted accessResearch articleFirst published online 2026
Early ambulation before percutaneous coronary intervention in patients with non-ST elevation myocardial infarction: a quasi-experimental study of haemodynamics and clinical outcomes
Early ambulation (EA) supports recovery in cardiovascular patients. Its effects on haemodynamic stability and clinical outcomes in non-ST elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI) patients before coronary angioplasty are unexplored.
Aims:
To evaluate EA’s impact on haemodynamic stability and clinical outcomes in NSTEMI patients before coronary angioplasty.
Methods:
A quasi-experimental study was conducted in two cardiac wards with 154 NSTEMI patients, assigned to EA (n = 77) or complete rest in bed (CRIB) (n = 77). Haemodynamic parameters, telemetry events (non-sustained ventricular tachycardia) and cardiac events (angina, reinfarction, dyspnoea and syncope) were monitored. Logistic regression assessed associations between EA and clinical outcomes.
Results:
Demographic and clinical characteristics were similar between groups (p > 0.05). Haemodynamic parameters remained stable in both groups (p > 0.05). EA was associated with a 79% reduction in cardiac events (OR = 0.21, 95% confidence interval (CI) (0.07, 0.60), p = 0.003) and a trend towards fewer telemetry events (OR = 0.27, 95% CI (0.07, 1.03), p = 0.06). EA also shortened hospitalisation by a mean of 49.56 hours (p = 0.02).
Conclusion:
EA before coronary angioplasty is safe, reduces cardiac events and shortens hospital stay. These findings support structured nursing-led EA as part of routine acute cardiology care and highlight its role in promoting patient-centred recovery, efficient resource utilisation and potential cost savings for healthcare providers.
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