Could a personal trainer cut heart attack deaths?
NCT ID NCT04617639
First seen Aug 13, 2026 · Last updated Aug 14, 2026 · Updated 1 time
Summary
This trial is testing whether a supervised exercise program can reduce the risk of death, another heart attack, or stroke in people who have already had a heart attack. About 9,700 participants will be randomly assigned to either a four-year program with a personal trainer or to usual care. The study will track outcomes for up to 10 years to see if regular, structured exercise makes a measurable difference.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- Supervised physical exercise program
- What this could lead to
- If effective, this could establish supervised exercise as a proven way to lower the risk of recurrent heart attacks, strokes, and death in heart attack survivors.
- What could go wrong
- The trial is large but results depend on long-term adherence to exercise. It may not show a clear benefit, and the intervention requires significant time and effort from participants.
This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.
Study facts
What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.
- Phase
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Not a phased trial
Phase numbers describe drug development. The registry uses this when they do not apply, as it does for trials of devices, procedures or behaviour changes, and for observational studies.
- Participants
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About 9,700 people
The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.
- Started
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Sep 2020
- Expected to finish
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Dec 2036
An estimate. End dates often move.
- Lead sponsor
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Other sponsor
The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.
Who can take part
This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.
- Ages
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18 to 79 years
- Sex
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Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
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Not accepted
This study is not open to healthy volunteers. The entry requirements below say who it is open to.
Show the full entry requirements Hide the full entry requirements
Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.
Inclusion Criteria: 1. Hospitalized in a Norwegian hospital with an acute myocardial infarction (Type I) during 2013-2022. Patients are included minimum 3 months after hospitalization when they are in a stable clinical condition. 2. Norwegian national identification number 3. Able to communicate in Norwegian or other Scandinavian language 4. Being able to be physically active according to study protocol, as determined by study personnel. 5. Signed informed consent. Exclusion criteria: 1. Persons who already participate in physical activity at a similar or higher level than what is prescribed for the intervention group, as determined by study personnel. 2. Participating or plans to participate in endurance sport competitions. 3. Expected to emigrate during the study 4. Cognitive impairment/dementia. 5. Alcohol or drug abuse, or serious psychiatric disease. 6. Known cardiac disease that may represent a contraindication for moderate or high-intensity physical activity, such as symptomatic valvular heart disease, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, uncontrolled hypertension, in-compensated heart failure, serious arrythmia not under control after treatment, pulmonary hypertension, significant angina after revascularization and optimal drug treatment. 7. Renal insufficiency requiring dialysis. 8. Any end-stage somatic disease with short life expectancy or that is expected to interfere with the participants' ability to comply with the study protocol, such as advanced cancer, chronic lung disease with exacerbations, or other disease, as determined by study personnel. 9. Inability to comply with the study protocol due to any physical disability, somatic disease or mental problem, as determined by study personnel. 10. Residing in nursing home or other institution. 11. Participation in another trial with exercise as an intervention modality.
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Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
How to take part
Only the study team decides who joins. These are the ways to reach them.
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The places running it
1 site. The list below names each one and where it is.
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The official record
The full official record for this study. This one lists no contact details, but it is the first place any would appear.
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A doctor treating you
A doctor who knows your case can contact a study site on your behalf, and can tell you whether this study is worth pursuing at all.
Contacts and locations
Locations
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St Olavs Hospital Clinic of Cardiology
Trondheim, Norway
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