Impact of cardiac rehabilitation on psychological factors, cardiorespiratory fitness, and survival: A narrative review

Abstract

Cardiac rehabilitation (CR) is a form of prescribed exercise that is a multidisciplinary approach designed to improve cardiac function and quality of life following major adverse cardiovascular events. In this comprehensive overview, we will describe the individual components of exercise training and discuss the preset doses for effective CR based on recent meta-analyses. We will also review the effects of prescribed exercise medicine on outcomes such as psychosocial stress factors, cardiorespiratory fitness, and survival and their individualized impact on special populations.

Keywords

• cardiac rehabilitation
• cardiorespiratory fitness
• depression
• exercise
• psychological factors
• survival