Cardiac Telerehabilitation – Current State and Clinical Perspectives.
Cardiovascular Diseases (CVD) are regarded as a leading cause of death globally, constituting important medical, social and economical problem. Recent systematic reviews and meta-analyses show the positive effect of exercise-based cardiac rehabilitation (CR). It can significantly reduce the risk of hospital admissions and improve health-related quality of life, moreover exercise training may reduce mortality in the longer term. According to the most secondary cardiovascular prevention guidelines, regular exercise training and rehabilitation obtained the class of recommendation I, level of evidence A in heart failure patients.
Cardiac telerehabilitation has the huge potential to deliver CR programs to aforementioned communities. It makes another breakthrough in providing equitable access to geographically remote, physically disadvantaged, and economically disadvantaged patients and to improve the quality of CR health care. Required optimization of the timing, intensity and duration of therapy can be the same as of the traditional faceto-face treatment.
It may significantly improve the implementation of and adherence to CR.6 Flexible follow-up strategy of cardiac-telerehabilitation and easier access to a specialized team5 may significantly improve way of secondary prevention and longterm care of cardiac patients. Moreover home-based CR is safe and effective, especially in the area of short-term exercise capacity. Home-based, well-known environment may effectively motivate patients, and simultaneously improve their independence compared with inpatient therapy and care.
Canadian research by Grace et al.14 showed, that only 34% of eligible patients participated in CR programs, and member of underrepresented groups are women and ethnic minority groups. There is need for strategies to increase their access to CR programs, where available.
Heart Res Open J. 2014; 1(1): 10-14. doi: 10.17140/HROJ-1-102
