Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jan 29, 2026

A Novel Digital Platform for a Monitored Home-based Cardiac Rehabilitation Program
04:24

A Novel Digital Platform for a Monitored Home-based Cardiac Rehabilitation Program

Published on: April 19, 2019

12.3K

Telehealth-Based Cardiac Rehabilitation for Heart Failure: A Systematic Review of Effectiveness, Access, and

Abdulfattah S Alqahtani1

  • 1Department of Rehabilitation Health Sciences, College of Applied Medical Sciences, King Saud University, Riyadh 12372, Saudi Arabia.

Medicina (Kaunas, Lithuania)
|January 28, 2026
PubMed

Insights

Telehealth cardiac rehabilitation (CR) improves exercise capacity and quality of life for heart failure patients, matching center-based CR and outperforming usual care. This accessible approach should be integrated into standard heart failure management.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiology
  • Digital Health
  • Rehabilitation Medicine

Background:

  • Heart failure (HF) impacts millions globally, with traditional cardiac rehabilitation (CR) facing access barriers.
  • Telehealth-based CR presents a viable alternative, necessitating updated evaluations of its effectiveness and patient-centered outcomes.
  • This systematic review addresses the need for current evidence on telehealth CR's impact on HF patients.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To systematically review and assess the effectiveness, accessibility, and patient-centered outcomes of telehealth-based CR.
  • To compare telehealth CR against usual care and traditional center-based CR in adults with HF.
  • To synthesize evidence from recent randomized controlled trials (RCTs) published between 2020-2025.

Main Methods:

  • Systematic review adhering to PRISMA 2020 guidelines.
  • Inclusion of RCTs comparing telehealth CR (telephone, apps, remote monitoring) with usual care or center-based CR in adult HF patients.
  • Meta-analyses of exercise capacity (6-minute walk distance, peak VO2) and quality of life (QoL), alongside secondary outcomes like adherence and clinical events.

Main Results:

  • Fourteen RCTs (n=7371) indicated telehealth CR significantly improved 6-minute walk distance (SMD 0.35) and quality of life (SMD 0.28) versus usual care.
  • Telehealth CR demonstrated equivalence to center-based CR, with high adherence (70-92%) and patient satisfaction (75-96%).
  • Some studies showed reduced hospitalizations, but no significant mortality benefits were observed.

Conclusions:

  • Telehealth CR is an effective, accessible, and patient-centered intervention for heart failure management.
  • It performs comparably to center-based CR and superiorly to usual care, warranting integration into standard HF care.
  • Policy and technological support are crucial, though limitations include short follow-up durations and moderate trial heterogeneity.

Keywords:
adherencecardiac rehabilitationexercise capacityheart failurequality of lifetelehealth

More Related Videos

Author Spotlight: Workflow for Integrating POCUS Data into EHR for Managing Heart Failure Patients03:47

Author Spotlight: Workflow for Integrating POCUS Data into EHR for Managing Heart Failure Patients

Published on: July 12, 2024

1.1K
Integration of Brain Tissue Saturation Monitoring in Cardiopulmonary Exercise Testing in Patients with Heart Failure04:20

Integration of Brain Tissue Saturation Monitoring in Cardiopulmonary Exercise Testing in Patients with Heart Failure

Published on: October 1, 2019

6.2K

Related Concept Videos

Heart Failure II: Pathophysiology01:29

Heart Failure II: Pathophysiology

Systolic Heart Failure and Compensatory MechanismsSystolic heart failure (also termed HFrEF, Heart Failure with Reduced Ejection Fraction) is the most prevalent type of heart filure. It results in a decreased volume of blood being pumped from the ventricle. The aortic arch and carotid sinuses have baroreceptors that detect reduced blood pressure, triggering the sympathetic nervous system (SNS) to release epinephrine and norepinephrine. Initially, this response aims to boost heart rate and...
872
Pathophysiology of Heart Failure01:17

Pathophysiology of Heart Failure

Heart failure (HF) is a progressive syndrome involving ventricles that leads to inadequate cardiac output. It can be classified based on location and output or ejection fraction. Ejection fraction (EF) is an essential measurement in the diagnosis and surveillance of HF. Reduced EF corresponds to systolic heart failure (HFrEF). However, HF with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) is becoming increasingly prevalent. Also known as diastolic HF, this form of HF is related to aging. The...
3.5K
Heart Failure I: Introduction01:27

Heart Failure I: Introduction

Heart failure refers to a clinical syndrome caused by structural or functional cardiac disorders that prevent the heart from pumping an adequate amount of blood to meet the body's metabolic needs. This condition often arises from myocardial infarction or ischemia, leading to decreased cardiac output, reduced tissue perfusion, impaired gas exchange, fluid volume imbalance, and decreased functional ability.Heart failure can result from disruptions in the mechanisms that regulate cardiac output...
847
Heart Failure VI: Adjunct Therapies01:22

Heart Failure VI: Adjunct Therapies

Additional therapies for treating patients with heart failure (HF) may include procedural interventions, supplemental oxygen, the management of sleep disorders, and nutritional therapy.Procedural InterventionsImplantable Cardioverter-Defibrillator: For patients at risk of life-threatening arrhythmias due to severe left ventricular dysfunction, an Implantable Cardioverter-Defibrillator (ICD) can detect and terminate these arrhythmias, preventing sudden cardiac death and improving survival rates.
314
Heart Failure Drugs: Diuretics01:22

Heart Failure Drugs: Diuretics

Heart failure and kidney perfusion are interconnected in a complex way. Reduced renal perfusion and venous congestion are two significant factors that contribute to renal dysfunction in heart failure. The kidneys, primarily responsible for fluid balance in the body, are adversely affected due to compromised cardiac output and increased venous pressure. In response to reduced renal perfusion, the kidneys activate neurohumoral mechanisms to restore balance. However, these mechanisms can be...
948
Heart Failure V: Medical Management01:30

Heart Failure V: Medical Management

Medical Management of Acute Decompensated Heart Failure (ADHF)The primary goals of therapy for patients hospitalized with acute decompensated heart failure (ADHF) include:Relieving symptomsOptimizing volume statusSupporting oxygenation and ventilationMaintaining cardiac output (CO) and end-organ perfusionIdentifying and addressing the cause of ADHFPreventing complicationsProviding patient education on factors precipitating HF exacerbationPlanning for dischargeOngoing monitoring and assessment...
272