Distinguishing Hybrid Cardiac Rehabilitation Models and Comparing Their Effectiveness: A Systematic Review

Area of Science:

• Cardiology
• Rehabilitation Medicine
• Health Services Research

Background:

• Hybrid cardiac rehabilitation (HCR) integrates center-based and home-based training, offering flexibility.
• Various HCR models exist, but their comparative effectiveness is not well-established.
• Understanding different HCR types is crucial for optimizing patient recovery and outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To classify existing hybrid cardiac rehabilitation (HCR) models.
• To compare the effectiveness of different HCR models against traditional center-based cardiac rehabilitation (CBCR).
• To evaluate HCR's impact on functional capacity, quality of life, physical activity, and psychosocial factors.

Main Methods:

• Systematic review of original studies from Medline, CINAHL, and SPORTDiscus databases.
• Inclusion criteria focused on HCR models combining center and home-based exercise with core rehabilitation components.
• Data extraction included functional capacity, HRQoL, physical activity, anxiety, depression, adherence, and satisfaction.

Main Results:

• Twenty-six studies identified, classifying HCR into sequential, progressive, and simultaneous models.
• All three HCR models demonstrated comparable results to CBCR in functional capacity, HRQoL, anxiety, and depression.
• High adherence and satisfaction reported for HCR programs, but inconclusive findings on physical activity and long-term effects.

Conclusions:

• Hybrid cardiac rehabilitation (HCR) models are effective alternatives to traditional center-based cardiac rehabilitation (CBCR).
• Sequential, progressive, and simultaneous HCR approaches yield similar benefits to CBCR.
• Further research is needed to clarify the impact of HCR on physical activity levels and long-term patient outcomes.