Heart attack recovery gets a buddy system: study tests patient partners to keep you moving

This study looked at whether having a 'patient partner' (a fellow heart attack survivor) work with a healthcare professional can help people stay physically active after completing cardiac rehab. 84 adults who had a heart attack and finished phase 2 rehab were split into two groups: one got the patient-partner program, the other got usual care. The goal was to see if the program helped them keep up moderate exercise (like brisk walking) for at least 6 months, measured with an accelerometer.