Physical and Emotional Well-Being Outcomes Associated with Cardiac Rehabilitation Among Adults Recovering from Heart Disease: A Scoping Review

Background Cardiac rehabilitation (CR) is a comprehensive secondary prevention strategy designed to support recovery and well-being following heart disease. Evidence regarding the physical and emotional well-being outcomes associated with contemporary CR is dispersed across different cardiac populations, rehabilitation approaches, and outcome measures. Aim This scoping review aimed to map and synthesize recent evidence on predefined physical and emotional well-being outcomes associated with cardiac rehabilitation among adults recovering from heart disease. Methods The review was conducted using the Arksey and O’Malley framework and reported in accordance with the PRISMA-ScR guidelines. A comprehensive search of PubMed, Google Scholar, and the Cochrane Library was undertaken to identify English-language studies published between January 2020 and August 2025. Eligible studies included randomized controlled trials, cohort studies, observational studies, and interventional studies involving adults aged > 18 years with myocardial infarction, coronary artery disease, heart failure, or post-cardiac surgery status. Data were charted and descriptively synthesized according to participant characteristics, CR characteristics, and predefined physical and emotional well-being outcomes. Results Seventeen studies met the inclusion criteria and represented diverse CR approaches, including center-based, home-based, hybrid, telemonitored, mHealth, nurse-led, and exercise-enhanced programs. Physical outcomes frequently reported across the included studies included exercise capacity, functional performance, cardiovascular and other biophysiological parameters. Emotional outcomes included anxiety, depression, psychological well-being, and quality of life. Overall, the included studies reported generally favourable physical and emotional well-being outcomes among adults participating in CR, although considerable heterogeneity was observed in populations, intervention characteristics, outcome measures, and study designs. Conclusion As the primary purpose of this scoping review was evidence mapping, no formal methodological quality or risk-of-bias assessment was undertaken; therefore, the findings should not be interpreted as establishing intervention effectiveness or causality. Overall, this review maps the recent evidence on physical and emotional well-being outcomes associated with CR and highlights the breadth of outcomes assessed across contemporary CR approaches. The findings may inform future research, clinical practice, and the development of outcome-focused cardiac rehabilitation programs.