Topical problems in rehabilitation following valve replacement.

The paper deals with fundamental aspects and phases of rehabilitation in patients who underwent cardiac surgery, and with problems of methodology of bicycle ergometric testing. The efficacy of rehabilitation programme is evaluated according to the results of comparison of a control group of patients without rehabilitation, and rehabilitated patients after mitral or aortic valve operation. As criteria there served the changes in the distribution of patients to functional classes, changes of physical working capacity and rate of return to work.