Effects of Diaphragmatic and Abdominal Neuromuscular Electrical Stimulation in Post-PCI Patients

Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) improves coronary blood flow in patients with coronary artery disease; however, many patients continue to experience reduced pulmonary function, impaired gas exchange, decreased cardiac performance, and limited functional capacity after the procedure. These issues are often related to respiratory muscle weakness, immobilization, and altered ventilatory mechanics. Conventional cardiac rehabilitation focuses mainly on aerobic and resistance training, with limited emphasis on respiratory muscle strengthening.

Neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) is a non-invasive technique that induces muscle contractions and may enhance both inspiratory and expiratory muscle function when applied to the diaphragm and abdominal muscles. This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of combined diaphragmatic and abdominal NMES as an adjunct to standard cardiac rehabilitation in post-PCI patients.

In this randomized controlled trial, 42 hemodynamically stable patients aged 40-75 years will be randomly assigned to either an intervention group (NMES plus standard rehabilitation) or a control group (standard rehabilitation alone). The NMES intervention will be applied for 30 minutes per session, five days per week, for two weeks.

Outcome measures will include arterial blood gases (PaO₂, PaCO₂, SaO₂), pulmonary function (FVC, FEV₁, PEFR), left ventricular ejection fraction, and functional capacity assessed by the 6-minute walk test. Assessments will be conducted at baseline and after the intervention.

This study aims to determine whether NMES can improve respiratory and functional outcomes and serve as an effective adjunct to conventional cardiac rehabilitation in post-PCI patients.