Women and cardiac rehabilitation: Moving beyond barriers to solutions?

Abstract

The prognostic benefit of cardiac rehabilitation, even in the contemporary era of advances in treatment for cardiovascular disease, is well-established.1,2 Indeed, we might argue that fully realising the benefit of primary percutaneous coronary intervention for myocardial infarction (MI), new cardiovascular surgical procedures and drug therapy is not possible unless patients are supported to recover physiologically and psychologically, adhere to prescribed treatment and change unhealthy behaviours. Research shows that we still fail to achieve good control of risk factors in women and men with cardiovascular disease across Europe.3 Thus, comprehensive cardiac rehabilitation is more important than ever, and must continue to evolve to keep up with innovation in treatment and to address the challenges of patients with different needs and preferences, and the world’s ageing population.