The Effectiveness of Cardiac Rehabilitation Programs in Improving Cardiovascular Outcomes: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are some of the most common conditions and the major contributors to death and disability globally, hence the need for proper secondary prevention interventions. Cardiac rehabilitation (CR) programs have been recognized as an essential component in the treatment of CVDs with the goal of decreasing the risk of new cardiovascular events and improving the quality of life. This systematic review and meta-analysis sought to determine the impact of CR as a form of CVD treatment on mortality, morbidity, functional capacity, and quality of life amongst the patient population. The search resulted in 12 studies that fulfilled the inclusion criteria, which included both randomized controlled trials as well as cohort studies. The meta-analysis, therefore, showed that the CR program is effective in reducing all-cause mortality (RR=0 74, 95% CI: 0.62-0. Favorable effects of intervention regarding participation measures were found in the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) domains of body functions (pool standardized mean differences (SMD)= 0.55, 95% CI: 0.43-0.68). The results confirm the significance of CR programs as an essential element of secondary prevention of CVDs, stressing the ability of CR to lower mortality rates and improve patients' functional status. Despite this, the implementation of CR programs continues to be suboptimal globally for various healthcare facilities; hence the requirement for interventions to ensure that more patients incorporate the protocols and adapt uniform CR protocols.