[Cardiac rehabilitation in the elderly patient]

The number of people over 65 is progressively increasing. In this group, the incidence of ischemic cardiopathy is very high and nowadays revascularization procedures are being used more and more. Cardiac rehabilitation programmes have proved to be an efficacious therapy in ischemic cardiopathy. These programmes initially excluded high-risk patients and elderly patients. In the last years, it has been confirmed that the benefit obtained in people over 65 is at least similar to the benefit observed in younger patients, with no greater number of complications. The aims of a cardiac rehabilitation programme are to improve the prognosis and quality of life. In elderly patients, the aims are similar, but special stress is laid on improving their quality of life and obtaining the maximum survival rate free of incapacitation.