title: Cardiac rehabilitation and cardiovascular disability: role in assessment and improving functional capacity: a position statement from the American Association of Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Rehabilitation.
abstract: The Social Security Administration (SSA) oversees the disability determination process and the payment of disability benefits to Americans. According to recent SSA data, approximately 900 000 persons are receiving cardiovascular disability payments and about 145 000 adult claims for cardiovascular disability are processed by the SSA annually. An objective and comprehensive examination of functional capacity is an important part of the disability assessment process. This statement reviews various protocols for disability assessment of aerobic capacity, muscle function, and the physical requirements of job tasks. Cardiac rehabilitation programs are ideal settings for conducting comprehensive disability assessments of functional capacity in persons with cardiovascular disease. In addition, exercise training provided by cardiac rehabilitation programs can increase functional capacity in most patients.
authors.affiliation: Exercise Science Department, School of Public Health and Health Services, The George Washington University, Washington, DC, USA. lfhamm@gwu.edu
authors.forename: Larry F
authors.initials: LF
authors.lastname: Hamm
authors.forename: Nanette K
authors.initials: NK
authors.lastname: Wenger
authors.forename: Ross
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Arena
authors.forename: Daniel E
authors.initials: DE
authors.lastname: Forman
authors.forename: Carl J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Lavie
authors.forename: Todd D
authors.initials: TD
authors.lastname: Miller
authors.forename: Randal J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Thomas
mesh_terms: D000072038:Cardiac Rehabilitation; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006233:Persons with Disabilities / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D005080:Exercise Test; D017079:Exercise Tolerance / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D017064:Process Assessment, Health Care; D014481:United States