Effects of Virtual-Reality-Augmented Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation Programs for Patients with Cardiovascular Diseases: A Systemic Review

Because of advancements in computer technology, virtual reality has become a novel approach to enhancing the efficacy of medical therapeutic intervention. Its extensive application has gained popularity and scholarly interest because of its real-time generation of desirable environmental and perceptual stimuli. Cardiopulmonary rehabilitation has been regarded as an integral intervention in patients who survive cardiovascular diseases. However, the adherence to and optimal efficacy of cardiopulmonary rehabilitation are often hindered by negative attitudes of participants because of the tedious nature of endurance training. In this systemic review, we comprehensively retrieved and reviewed studies combining virtual reality and cardiopulmonary rehabilitation; we included a total of six clinical studies from the review for further analysis. We explored the underlying reasons for the lack of evidence in the application of virtual reality to cardiopulmonary rehabilitation. We also delineated the problem of developing virtual reality software that is specifically for use in rehabilitation medicine. We conclude that the complexity and cost inhibit the application of virtual reality in the general population. However, augmented virtual reality seems to be a promising candidate for the next generation of cardiopulmonary rehabilitation treatment with strong compliance.