[Psychophysiological time series study of 54 patients with cardiovascular diseases during rehabilitation. Evaluation, group differences, and periodicities (author's transl)].

In the course of a cardiac rehabilitation program 36 patients with myocardial infarction and 18 patients with functional cardiovascular disorders have been studied for 4 to 6 weeks. Data included daily self-report scales of condition, mood, bodily complaints, and daily routine. Physiological variables (blood pressure, heart rate, ventilation, respiratory gas exchange) were measured three times weekly under different conditions (breath holding, hyperventilation, reaction time, multiple reaction test). Analysis of variance indicated positive effects of the rehabilitation program for physiological as well as psychological variables. There were no obvious differences in state change between groups but there were some differences in the average level of variables. Time series analysis by means of autocorrelations revealed circaseptane periodicities which may be interpreted as a reflection of the exogene weekly rhythms.