Rehabilitation Strategies for Adults With Cardiovascular Diseases: A Comprehensive Review

Introduction. To conduct a comparative analysis of clinical practices in the United States, China, leading European countries, Scandinavia, Canada, Japan, Australia, and Brazil, and to synthesize the evidence published between 2000 and 2026, focusing on both non-pharmacological (exercise, nutrition, psychosocial, behavioral) and pharmacological rehabilitation strategies for adult populations with IHD, MI, or HF Materials and Methods. The research material includes recent academic publications, international and national clinical guidelines, randomized controlled trials (RCTs), systematic reviews, meta-analyses, and observational cohort studies published between January 2000 and March 2026. The investigation was structured around an exhaustive database search in PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science, utilizing precise targeted medical subject headings (MeSH) and key terms related to secondary cardiovascular prevention. The methodological approach relied on structural synthesis, cross-national evaluation, taxonomy building, and cross-sectional descriptive mapping of regional rehabilitation infrastructures, clinical protocols, and adherence tracking systems. Results. The result is a detailed cross-national analysis and descriptive mapping of secondary prevention systems across the US, China, Europe, Scandinavia, Canada, Japan, Australia, and Brazil, identifying key socioeconomic and structural barriers while outlining strategies to improve long-term patient rehabilitation. Clinical evidence from 2000–2026 confirms that multidisciplinary interventions – specifically HIIT and Mediterranean/DASH diets – reduce cardiovascular mortality by up to 20% while maintaining an excellent safety profile. Cross-national analysis reveals critical disparities in global cardiac rehabilitation, ranging from highly effective systematic referral models in Scandinavia (>60% enrollment) to severe underutilization due to structural barriers in the US and developing nations. To overcome socioeconomic challenges and enhance long-term patient adherence, the study substantiates the transition toward integrated care models driven by digital health tools and culturally tailored frameworks. Furthermore, behavioral interventions and smartphone-based digital platforms demonstrate significant efficacy in improving lifestyle modification and guideline-directed medical therapy (GDMT) compliance, addressing the critical challenge where up to 40% of patients otherwise discontinue their preventive medications within a year post-myocardial infarction. Conclusions. Integrated cardiac rehabilitation reduces cardiovascular mortality by 20%, yet its global utilization is heavily restricted by structural barriers – ranging from under 30% in the US to over 60% in Scandinavia – necessitates a shift toward systematic models for the automated referral of patients and the implementation of digital tools to monitor adherence to rehabilitation.