EFFECTS OF AN EARLY MOBILIZATION PROTOCOL WITH A 50 METER WALK ON HEMODYNAMIC, RESPIRATORY FUNCTION, PAIN FEELING AND EFFORTIVE PATIENTS EFFORT IN THE IMMEDIATE HEART SURGERY STUDY: A VIABILITY STUDY
physiotherapy, cardiac surgery, respiratory function, rehabilitation, exercise.
Background: early mobilization (EM) has been studied mainly in patients with a long stay in the intensive care unit (ICU), including those hospitalized for respiratory dysfunction on mechanical ventilation. However, the literature lacks studies aimed at investigating the effects, safety and viability of EM with walking in patients after cardiac surgery. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of a EM protocol with walking in patients in the immediate postoperative period of cardiac surgery on hemodynamic, respiratory variables, sensation of pain and effort, as well as its feasibility and safety. Methods: this is a quasi-experimental study, in which we evaluated the effects of a EM protocol with a 50-meter walk in patients in the immediate postoperative period of cardiac surgery. Hemodynamic and respiratory variables were evaluated: heart rate, blood pressure, double product, respiratory rate, peripheral oxygen saturation (SpO2), peak expiratory flow (PEF), forced vital capacity (FVC), forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1) and FEV1/FVC ratio before and after the EM protocol with a 50-meter walk. In addition, pain sensation, subjective effort perception and clinical conditions that occurred for protocol interruption / safety criteria were evaluated. Results: Forty-eight patients with a mean age of 49.3±14.3 years were analyzed. Heart rate, blood pressure, double product and respiratory rate did not show significant changes (p> 0.05). However, SpO2, PEF, FEV, FVC and the subjective sensation of pain showed significant improvement (p <0.0001) and only six patients (12.5%) had criteria for interrupting the protocol. Conclusion: The EM protocol with a 50-meter walk was safe, feasible and improved respiratory function and the subjective feeling of pain without promoting significant clinical/hemodynamic changes in patients in the immediate postoperative period of cardiac surgery.