Start-to-Sport – Feasibility and efficacy of individualized, telemonitored, home-based exercise for adolescents and adults with congenital heart disease

Almost 1% of all baby’s is born with a heart defect (CHD) and most of them survive. Even though outcomes are good, they need lifelong follow-up because of a higher risk for cardiovascular diseases. Studies have shown that patients with CHD are not active enough and that a substantial amount of patients is overweight. Hence preventive strategies and education should not only focus on the heart problem, but also on a healthy lifestyle including physical activity. Recently a new guideline introduced exercise prescription based on the absence/presence of certain key elements. However, a number of important questions remain that preclude implementation in clinical practice. Therefore a ‘Start-to-Sport’ program for adults with CHD, based on this new guideline, will be investigated. Study 1 will examine the feasibility of 12 weeks ‘Start-to-Sport’. Study 2 is a randomized controlled trial that investigates the effects of the program on daily physical activity, exercise capacity, quality of life and exercise self-efficacy both in short (12 weeks) and long (52 weeks) term, along with possible mechanisms for the training effects by using a new exercise-testing protocol that looks simultaneously to all body parts that are involved during exercise. Finally, Study 3 lifts the study up to the European multicenter level in order to validate the results on a larger scale. Ultimately, our findings will result in the implementation of the guideline in clinical practice.