Physical exercise rehabilitation: long-term dropout rate in cardiac patients.

The long-term dropout rate was examined in a physical exercise rehabilitation program in which 203 cardiac patients were followed for 40 months. The dropout curve was found to be downward-sloping and negatively accelerated with most of the dropouts occurring during the first 3 months. This dropout rate appeared to resemble the group release curve previously found in the treatment of addictive behaviors. Implications of the present findings are discussed in terms of the development of strategies to facilitate long-term compliance.