The forgotten but familiar cardiac rehabilitation – definition, stages, modern trends and recommendations for development

Cardiac rehabilitation is a set of coordinated activities aimed at positively influencing the underlying cause of cardiovascular diseases and ensuring the best possible physical, mental and social conditions so that patients can restore or maintain optimal functioning in the community through their own efforts and, through improved health behaviors, slow or reverse the progression of the disease. Cardiac rehabilitation is suitable for all patients with cardiovascular disease, including those who have experienced a cardiovascular event, after cardiac catheterization and those after heart surgery for heart valve replacement or bypass surgery. The cardiovascular rehabilitation program involves a team effort of a cardiologist, physiotherapist, kinesitherapist, nutritionist, psychologist and others, who have a common goal – strengthening the patient‘s health and returning to self-confidence to cope with everyday life. Its main advantage is that it is a cheap method, accessible for administration by health systems, safe for patients, with proven long-term positive effects on the health of patients. IT helps them recover faster after a cardiovascular incident or after heart surgery. Cardiac rehabilitation is an integral part and a major component of preventive cardiology that allows for the non-invasive identifi cation of functional disorders of the cardiovascular system, assessment of their extent, and planning of measures for their control and secondary prevention.