title: Current trends in cardiac rehabilitation.
abstract: Cardiac rehabilitation can reduce mortality and morbidity for patients with many types of cardiac disease cost-effectively, yet is generally underutilized. Rehabilitation is helpful not only for patients who have had a myocardial infarction but also for those with stable angina or congestive heart failure or those who have undergone myocardial revascularization procedures, a heart transplant or heart valve surgery. The beneficial effects of rehabilitation include a reduction in the rate of death from cardiovascular disease, improved exercise tolerance, fewer cardiac symptoms, improved lipid levels, decreased cigarette smoking, improvement in psychosocial well-being and increased likelihood of return to work. Rehabilitation involves a multidisciplinary team that focuses on education, individually tailored exercise, risk-factor modification and the optimization of functional status and mental health. Current research trends in this area include the evaluation of new secondary-prevention modalities and alternative program options, such as home-based rehabilitation.
authors.affiliation: Prevention and Rehabilitation Centre, University of Ottawa Heart Institute, Ont.
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Dafoe
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Huston
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003863:Depression / Q000150:complications / Q000517:prevention & control; D048909:Diabetes Complications; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000628:therapy; D018752:Diet, Fat-Restricted; D004038:Diet, Reducing; D005081:Exercise Therapy; D005544:Forecasting; D006331:Heart Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000150:complications / Q000517:prevention & control; D008297:Male; D009765:Obesity / Q000150:complications / Q000517:prevention & control; D010348:Patient Care Team; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D012307:Risk Factors; D000074606:Smoking Prevention