Role of Cardiac Rehabilitation in Improving Outcomes After Myocardial Infarction

Myocardial infarction, an integral part of acute coronary syndrome (ACS), occurs due to atherosclerotic narrowing of the coronary (heart) blood vessels. Acute coronary syndrome, being one of the major cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), has led to a significant amount of mortality and morbidity, the majority of it due to MI. Over a long period following an MI, the physical, psychological, social, emotional, and occupational well-being are greatly impacted. Cardiac rehabilitation (CR) can address the above and help improve long-term well-being and overall quality of life. The benefits of CR include enhanced exercise capacity, risk factor reduction, improved quality of life (QOL), reduced mortality, and hospital readmissions. We used a systematic literature review (SLR) approach in this article to provide a global overview of cutting-edge CR in the post-MI phase. We reviewed 45 articles from journals of good repute published between 2013 and December 1st, 2023, focusing on seven selected papers for in-depth analysis. The analysis was focused on factors such as the positive outcomes of CR and the effects of CR post-MI. There are only a few statistically significant studies in a few domains of CR benefits, namely decreased mortality, cardiac events, depression, depression-associated mortality, hospital readmissions, increased left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), left ventricular end-diastolic dimension (LVEDD), left ventricular end-systolic volume (LVESV), metabolic equivalent of task (MET), maximal oxygen consumption (VO2max), and the six-minute walk test (6MWT), and as a result, increased physical performance. Further research is needed to enhance the understanding of its mechanisms and statistically prove its effectiveness in all other domains. As CR continues to evolve, referral and participation in CR should be increased as it improves overall health and well-being.