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Updated: Aug 7, 2026
A Novel Digital Platform for a Monitored Home-based Cardiac Rehabilitation Program
Published on: April 19, 2019
All-cause mortality benefits of attending phase 3 cardiac rehabilitation: A systematic review
Inês Aguiar-Ricardo1, Daniel Inácio Cazeiro1, Pedro Alves da Silva1
1Serviço de Cardiologia, Unidade Local de Saúde Santa Maria, CAML, CCUL@RISE, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal.
Aim:
The primary objective of this study was to assess the impact of attending a phase 3 cardiac rehabilitation (CR) program on all-cause mortality.
Methods:
We conducted a systematic review using database searches (MEDLINE and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials) up to December 2022 to identify studies that compared adult patients undergoing phase 3 of CR with those receiving usual care.
Results:
Out of a total of 1867 identified articles, eight met the eligibility criteria (two randomized controlled trials (RCT) and six non-RCT) and were included (n=60939 patients; 82% male, average age of 62±11 years). Phase 3 of a CR program showed a significant association with reduced mortality rates, with a hazard ratio (HR) of 0.56 (95% CI 0.49-0.65), with minimal evidence of statistical heterogeneity. The studies presented a range of differently structured CR programs. They varied in duration, training methods, and components.
Conclusion:
This systematic review demonstrates that attending a phase 3 CR program has the beneficial effect of reducing mortality among patients with cardiovascular disease, in particular those with coronary artery disease. These findings highlight the importance of CR participation on a long-term basis and reinforce the value of increasing the number of specialized worldwide and optimizing patient referrals to participate in a long-term phase 3 CR program.
