Study designs of evaluations included in the review
Three different study designs were included: pre-post design without control group; pre-post design with control group; and pre-post design with different treatment groups, which applied different exercise programmes and compared the induced effects with a sedentary control group.
Specific interventions included in the review
Physical exercise (cardiac rehabilitation exercise programmes).
Participants included in the review
Coronary patients, e.g. patients after first myocardial infarction, patients with stable angina, or patients after bypass or valve operation, were included.
Outcomes assessed in the review
Anxiety and depression were assessed.
How were decisions on the relevance of primary studies made?
Studies were included if: they provided treatment for coronary patients; patients were examined before and after the treatment for medical and work capacity; the exercise programme was designed to induce physical training effects; patients were only exposed to exercise treatment; studies combining exercise with other treatments were excluded; anxiety and depression of patients were measured; and they were published in reviewed journals before March 1993.