Abstract
Historically, the main objective of cardiac rehabilitation (CR) as an exercise-based programme was to restore or improve patients’ regular physical activity after a cardiac event. Since then CR has evolved into a comprehensive secondary prevention programme, the objectives of CR, and indications and contraindications for its use have also developed in sophistication. Current CR programmes are designed to stabilise or even reverse the progression of heart disease by controlling all modifiable risk factors. They are also concerned with improving patients’ quality of life by restoring their wellbeing. All this should be achieved with the maximum safety levels to patients. The first part of this review details on how CR evolved from a simple exercise programme to a comprehensive secondary prevention programme in the past few decades. The second part sets an example of modern CR provision, pathway and guidelines in a top leading country in this field, the UK.
Highlights
In medicine, while saving a patient’s life is clearly vital, it is important to attempt to help patients recover a good quality of life
Since cardiac rehabilitation (CR) has evolved into a comprehensive secondary prevention programme, the objectives of CR, and indications and contraindications for its use have developed in sophistication
The first part of this review details on how CR evolved from a simple exercise programme to a comprehensive secondary prevention programme in the past few decades
Summary
While saving a patient’s life is clearly vital, it is important to attempt to help patients recover a good quality of life. Experiencing a heart attack or a hospital admission following a cardiac event can be very stressful and patients who suffer such a dramatic event will definitely need support to live with their new heart condition They will need help to stay as healthy as possible and reduce the risk of suffering another event. Push towards “comprehensive rehabilitation” and CR’s regulating bodies drive programmes to add other components to optimise the reduction of risk factors and improve adherence to healthy behaviours among recipients. Those components include health education, advice on the reduction of cardiac risk factors and stress management
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