Lakušić N, Sopek Merkaš I. Quo vadis cardiac rehabilitation; the role of comprehensive cardiac rehabilitation in modern cardiology. World J Cardiol 2023; 15(12): 627-632 [PMID: 38173904 DOI: 10.4330/wjc.v15.i12.627]
Corresponding Author of This Article
Ivana Sopek Merkaš, MD, Doctor, Department of Cardiology, Special Hospital for Medical Rehabilitation Krapinske Toplice, No. 2 Gajeva, Krapinske Toplice 49217, Croatia. ivana.sopek@sbkt.hr
Research Domain of This Article
Cardiac & Cardiovascular Systems
Article-Type of This Article
Editorial
Open-Access Policy of This Article
This article is an open-access article which was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/
World J Cardiol. Dec 26, 2023; 15(12): 627-632 Published online Dec 26, 2023. doi: 10.4330/wjc.v15.i12.627
Quo vadis cardiac rehabilitation; the role of comprehensive cardiac rehabilitation in modern cardiology
Nenad Lakušić, Ivana Sopek Merkaš
Nenad Lakušić, Ivana Sopek Merkaš, Department of Cardiology, Special Hospital for Medical Rehabilitation Krapinske Toplice, Krapinske Toplice 49217, Croatia
Nenad Lakušić, Department of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Dental Medicine and Health Osijek, J. J. Strossmayer University of Osijek, Osijek 31000, Croatia
Nenad Lakušić, Department of Internal Medicine, Family Medicine and History of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine Osijek, J. J. Strossmayer University of Osijek, Osijek 31000, Croatia
Author contributions: Lakušić N and Sopek Merkaš I were responsible for the conception and design of the manuscript, literature review, data collection and processing, and they wrote the first original draft; both authors issued approval for the final version to be submitted.
Conflict-of-interest statement: The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.
Open-Access: This article is an open-access article that was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: https://creativecommons.org/Licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Corresponding author: Ivana Sopek Merkaš, MD, Doctor, Department of Cardiology, Special Hospital for Medical Rehabilitation Krapinske Toplice, No. 2 Gajeva, Krapinske Toplice 49217, Croatia. ivana.sopek@sbkt.hr
Received: October 25, 2023 Peer-review started: October 25, 2023 First decision: November 2, 2023 Revised: November 7, 2023 Accepted: November 29, 2023 Article in press: November 29, 2023 Published online: December 26, 2023
Abstract
In accordance with the guidelines established by prominent European and global cardiology associations, comprehensive cardiac rehabilitation (CR) stands as an officially endorsed and highly recommended therapeutic approach (class I recommendations; level of evidence A) for a diverse spectrum of cardiac patients. Nevertheless, it is a cause for concern to observe that fewer than 50% of eligible patients are being effectively referred for CR, whether in an outpatient or inpatient setting. Concurrently, studies reveal that a substantial proportion of individuals with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease maintain unhealthy lifestyles and exhibit suboptimal management of modifiable cardiovascular risk factors, including hypertension, lipid levels, and diabetes. Beyond the conventional patient profile encompassing those recovering from acute coronary syndrome with or without percutaneous coronary intervention, as well as patients who have undergone coronary or valvular surgery, contemporary CR now emphasizes specialized subgroups of patients. These include frail elderly patients, the female population with its unique considerations, individuals burdened by multiple cardiovascular comorbidities, those who have developed psychological consequences due to a cardiac illness and particularly those grappling with chronic heart failure. This editorial seeks to offer a state-of-the-art assessment of the significance and role of comprehensive CR within modern cardiology.
Core Tip: Comprehensive cardiac rehabilitation (CR) is an established and endorsed therapeutic approach for a broad spectrum of cardiac patients. Nevertheless, it is concerning that fewer than 50% of eligible patients are being effectively referred for CR, whether in an outpatient or inpatient setting. This editorial aims to offer a contemporary perspective on the significance and role of comprehensive CR in modern cardiology.
