Key result
Cardiac rehabilitation guideline adherence remains low, with ~65% of surveyed allied professionals reporting infrequent use.
Why the study?
The implementation of cardiac rehabilitation programs is underused in many developed and developing countries, including Saudi Arabia, with unclear current practices among allied health professionals.
Cross-Sectional (n=48)
Yes
The use of standard clinical guidelines for cardiac rehabilitation by allied healthcare professionals in Saudi Arabia is suboptimal and infrequent.
Suboptimal guideline use in Saudi cardiac rehabilitation may limit care quality; leaves open need for implementation studies on barriers and adherence.
Background: Cardiac rehabilitation (CR) has beneficial effects on people with cardiovascular diseases. However, the implementation of the CR program is underused in many developed and developing countries. Objective: This study aimed to explore current practices of implementing CR clinical guidelines among allied health professionals in cardiac clinical settings in Saudi Arabia. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional, multi-center study was conducted using a self-administered survey to assess the current practices of allied health professionals who delivered care to cardiac patients in outpatient and inpatient clinical settings in Saudi Arabia. The survey was developed by the research team and validated by experts in the evidence-based practice. It included eight items assessing the experience of participants in the implementation of CR and their use of CR clinical practice guidelines. Results: A total of 48 people responded to the survey with a response rate of 68.5%. The participants were 29 (60%) males and 19 (40%) females, and about 58% of the participants were <30 years old. Approximately 71% of the participants reported 1–3 years of experience in CR settings. However, the majority of the participants (64.6%) reported infrequent use of clinical guidelines when delivering CR. The results showed a significant relationship between age, having access to and experience with CR guidelines, and the use of clinical guidelines. Conclusion: The use of CR guidelines is suboptimal in Saudi Arabia, with most allied healthcare professionals who work with cardiac patients not following standard clinical guidelines when delivering CR.
No takes yet. Share an insight, caveat, or question.
Eilayyan et al. (2026) conducted a cross-sectional in Healthcare professionals delivering cardiac rehabilitation (n=48). Access to and experience with cardiac rehabilitation clinical guidelines was evaluated on Use of cardiac rehabilitation clinical practice guidelines. The use of cardiac rehabilitation clinical guidelines is suboptimal, with 64.6% of surveyed allied healthcare professionals in Saudi Arabia reporting infrequent use.
Synapse has enriched 5 closely related papers on similar clinical questions. Consider them for comparative context: