Cardiac Rehabilitation for Secondary Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease: 2019 Update

To provide updated information on the science and practice of cardiac rehabilitation (CR).

Evidence continues to mount that supports the many benefits of CR as well as the important gap in delivering CR to all eligible patients. Recent studies have identified center-based and home-based strategies to improve the reach and impact of CR. Cardiac rehabilitation is a systematic, evidence-based approach to deliver effective secondary CVD preventive therapies to individuals with cardiovascular conditions. Because of a number of benefits that have been associated with CR, clinical practice guidelines strongly endorse CR services for eligible patients. Research supports CR as a high value service, with evidence of favorable clinical outcomes and costs. Unfortunately, a significant gap exists in CR participation due to a number of patient-, provider-, and system-level barriers. Solutions to most of these barriers have been identified and involve systematic approaches to CR delivery. The future is bright for CR as new strategies, new policies, and new methods of delivery continue to develop to help provide CR services to all eligible patients.