CURRENT TRENDS IN CARDIAC REHABILITATION

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 ha ve had a myocardial infarction but also for those with stable angina o r congestive heart failure or those who have undergone myocardial reva scularization procedures, a heart transplant or heart valve surgery. T he beneficial effects of rehabilitation include a reduction in the rat e of death from cardiovascular disease, improved exercise tolerance, f ewer cardiac symptoms, improved-lipid levels, decreased cigarette smok ing, improvement in psychosocial well-being and increased likelihood o f return to work. Rehabilitation involves a multidisciplinary learn th at focuses on education, individually tailored exercise, risk-factor m odification and the optimization of functional status and mental healt h. Current research trends in this area include the evaluation of new secondary-prevention modalities and alternative program options, such as home-bal;ed rehabilitation.