Establishment of cardiac rehabilitation program in Yazd-Iran: An experience of a developing country

Area of Science:

• Cardiology
• Public Health
• Rehabilitation Medicine

Background:

• Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) are a leading cause of mortality and disability globally and in Iran.
• Cardiac Rehabilitation (CR) is a vital multidisciplinary program for CVD patient recovery and secondary event prevention.
• This study assesses the current status of the Afshar CR program in Yazd, Iran.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the current state of the hospital-based Afshar Cardiac Rehabilitation program in Yazd, Iran.
• To identify key characteristics and performance metrics of the CR program.
• To provide insights for improving CR services in the Iranian context.

Main Methods:

• Description of the Afshar CR program, including its four phases (inpatient, sub-acute, outpatient, maintenance).
• Identification of the multidisciplinary CR team composition.
• Analysis of CR program metrics: patient referral, participation, enrollment, and completion rates.

Main Results:

• The Afshar CR program features a comprehensive multidisciplinary team and four distinct phases.
• Patient referral rate was 60%, with a 6.9% participation rate and 55% enrollment rate.
• Over three years, 57% of registered patients successfully completed the CR program.

Conclusions:

• The Afshar CR program demonstrates progress towards international standards.
• Adaptation of CR standards to Iran's cultural and socio-economic context is necessary for broader effectiveness.
• Further development is recommended to enhance CR accessibility and outcomes in Iran.