title: [Cardiac rehabilitation in the elderly].
abstract: Cardiac rehabilitation is an integral component of secondary prevention, and is indicated for patients with a wide variety of cardiac conditions, ranging from coronary artery disease to chronic heart failure. Best results are obtained with integrated, multicomponent cardiac rehabilitation programs, which include exercise training together with counseling and psychosocial measures that may help patients maintain sustained changes toward a more healthy lifestyle. Evidence from randomized controlled trials and meta-analyses supports the efficacy of cardiac rehabilitation on clinically relevant outcomes such as reduced long-term morbidity and mortality, enhanced functional profile and improved control of cardiovascular risk factors. However, the vast majority of this evidence derives from trials with only small numbers of patients > 70 years of age. In elderly patients the goal of cardiac rehabilitation may differ from those of younger patients, and include the preservation of mobility, self-sufficiency and mental function. Cardiac rehabilitation my represent an opportunity to provide effective health care and achieve a high quality of life for older patients. Future research programs should therefore be aimed at specifically investigating the efficacy and effectiveness of cardiac rehabilitation in older, frail cardiac patients.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Area Critica Medico-Chirurgica, S.O.D. di Cardiologia Geriatrica, A.O. Universitaria Careggi, Centro Regionale di Riferimento per la Riabilitazione Cardiologica, Università degli Studi, Firenze. cardiologiap@ao-careggi.toscana.it
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Fattirolli
authors.forename: Costanza
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Burgisser
authors.forename: Lorenzo
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Guarducci
authors.forename: Lucio A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Rinaldi
authors.forename: Giulio
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Masotti
authors.forename: Niccolò
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Marchionni
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000072038:Cardiac Rehabilitation; D006348:Cardiac Surgical Procedures / Q000534:rehabilitation; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000534:rehabilitation; D003376:Counseling; D019317:Evidence-Based Medicine; D015444:Exercise; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000534:rehabilitation; D006801:Humans; D008019:Life Style; D015201:Meta-Analysis as Topic; D010809:Physical Fitness; D011788:Quality of Life; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic