By Anna Horner | News & Views

There’s no shortage of patients with diabetes mellitus (DM), obesity, metabolic syndrome, and/or heart failure on the cardiopulmonary rehab (CR/PR) floor, which cardiologist Sherrie Khadanga, MD, says makes it an ideal setting to ensure patients receive optimal medical treatment and to encourage adoption of appropriate lifestyle behaviors.

Dr. Khadanga — who directs the CR program at the University of Vermont Medical Center and is an assistant professor in the College of Medicine — partnered with Joel Hardwick, DCEP, ACSM-CEP, CET, at the 39^th AACVPR Annual Meeting to explain how CR and PR professionals can aid participants beyond encouraging physical activity and helping them to manage their diabetes. “Newer anti-hyperglycemic agents, such as SGLT-2 inhibitors, not only provide DM management but have also been found to assist with weight loss and reduce the incidence of heart failure events,” says Dr. Khadanga. “Similarly, GLP-1 agonists are now approved for weight loss, regardless as to whether a patient has diabetes. Thus, it is important for the CR and PR team to be aware of the utility of these agents given the benefits beyond glycemic control and to ensure that, when appropriate, patients are treated accordingly.”

Dr. Khadanga says CR and PR practitioners who attended the session in Anaheim were shown a table and flow diagram of the different medication classes. This reference provided the brand and generic names for each medication, instructions for their administration, potential side effects, and clinical benefits. Based on feedback from attendees, Dr. Khadanga notes, “It seems CR and PR practitioners want to be more knowledgeable about overall cardiovascular prevention and recognize that CR and PR is more than just exercise and lifestyle classes.”

CR and PR practitioners who were unable to attend the session would benefit from viewing the recording via AACVPR’s On-Demand Access Pass. “This would allow providers to stay up to date with evidence-based medicine and, more importantly, enhance the delivery of care they provide to patients. CR and PR staff are on the frontline with patient interactions and can potentially introduce this topic of newer medications to discuss with their physician as it will enhance their overall health,” explains Dr. Khadanga. “CR and PR staff have a unique opportunity to discuss these new medications given that they are seeing patients multiple times a week and have developed a strong relationship and rapport. A patient may be more willing to try these medications, or at least discuss them with their provider, since they were recommended by a staff member.”