In the current issue of Cardiovascular Innovations and Applications volume 4, issue 2, pp. 121-23; DOI https://doi.org/10.15212/CVIA.2017.0069, C. Richard Conti, Jamie. B Conti, and Jeff Plasschaert from the University of Florida Medical School, Gainesville, FL, USA consider the impact of cardiac rehabilitation programmes.
A typical cardiac rehabilitation patient is one of age 60 + years and male, inactive, but stable, patient who smokes, is stressed, hypertensive, and has bad nutrition habits. Most patients with a chronic cardiac condition are depressed or anxious and have a lot of concerns about their ability to function in society as they did in the past. After a few cardiac rehabilitation sessions patients become more confident that they can exercise at a higher level than when they first appeared in the unit, have improved attitudes, and decreased anxiety.