Bridging the Gap: Implementing cardiac rehabilitation programmes in pakistan's healthcare system

Area of Science:

• Cardiology
• Public Health
• Healthcare Management

Background:

• Cardiac rehabilitation (CR) is a crucial secondary prevention strategy for cardiovascular disease (CVD) patients, aiming to reduce mortality and improve quality of life.
• Despite its proven benefits, CR services are significantly underprovided globally, with less than 54% of countries offering them.
• Low and middle-income countries (LMICs) face particularly acute deficits, with CR provision rates of only 8% and 28%, respectively.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the current status and challenges of establishing and implementing cardiac rehabilitation programs in Pakistan.
• To highlight the critical need for CR services in Pakistan, a low-income country, to mitigate long-term healthcare costs and patient dependency.
• To identify factors hindering the utilization and applicability of CR programs within the Pakistani healthcare context.

Main Methods:

• This study is a review of existing literature and statistics on cardiac rehabilitation.
• It analyzes global CR provision rates, with a focus on disparities in LMICs.
• The review specifically examines the situation in Pakistan, identifying barriers to CR implementation.

Main Results:

• Global provision of cardiac rehabilitation remains low, with significant disparities affecting LMICs.
• Pakistan, as a low-income country, faces substantial challenges in establishing and promoting CR services.
• Lack of CR programs contributes to prolonged hospital stays and increased family dependency for CVD patients.

Conclusions:

• There is a critical need to establish and promote cardiac rehabilitation programs in Pakistan.
• Addressing the barriers to CR implementation is essential for improving cardiovascular healthcare outcomes in the country.
• Expanding CR services can reduce mortality, recurrent cardiac events, and enhance the quality of life for Pakistani CVD patients.