Cardiac rehabilitation (CR) is a multidisciplinary process for patients recovering from an acute cardiac event and for those with chronic cardiovascular disease.
Historically, the main objective of CR as an was to improve patients’ regular physical activity after a cardiac event.
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.
Less that one-third of cardiac patients are using CR programmes. In Europe, the percentage admitted to CR programmes is 30%, while in the US it is 20–30%.