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Participation in cardiac rehabilitation (CR) programs has been proven to save many lives, but the service is severely underutilized, researchers say.


A team from Flinders University undertook the largest study of its kind, looking at data from more than 84,000 patients in South Australia admitted to hospital with heart problems.


This includes people who have suffered a heart attack, chronic heart disease, arrhythmia, or have pacemakers.


Of those patients, approximately one-third attended cardiac rehabilitation, 36% of whom started the program, and 78% of whom completed the program.


was announced on heart, lungs, circulationThe results showed that compared to those who did not take the program at all, those who completed the program were 38% less likely to die or be readmitted for heart-related problems within the next year.


These results remained similar 3 years after referral.


But despite their proven effectiveness, such programs remain underutilized, said lead author Professor Robin Clark.


She says one reason patients choose not to participate in the program is because they prefer follow-up with their primary care physician.


“Our findings highlight the important role of cardiac rehabilitation in reducing mortality and cardiovascular readmissions,” Professor Clark said.


“Few patients are referred to the program and are not utilized to its fullest potential, and of those who are referred, waiting times and other barriers prevent many from using the program to its fullest potential. This means that we are not able to utilize it effectively.”


“By addressing barriers to participation and increasing program completion, we can significantly improve cardiovascular disease outcomes in South Australia and nationally.”


This comes as cardiovascular disease continues to plague Australia’s healthcare system, accounting for 24% of all deaths and 1500 people admitted to hospital each day.


The study found that patients who are female, older, or suffering from diseases such as cancer, stroke, or obesity are less likely to be referred to these rehabilitation programs.


In addition, many patients discontinued participation in the program due to depression diagnoses and long wait times.


To remove these barriers, researchers are calling for such rehabilitation programs to be delivered through telemedicine.


They found that the availability of this service was strongly associated with higher completion rates, especially for those living in rural and remote areas.


Professor Clark said these multidisciplinary telemedicine programs, supported by primary care, also allow rehabilitation to be tailored to patients’ needs and preferences.


“Quality improvement efforts will focus on increasing CR referrals, implementing automated systems, addressing barriers to women’s participation, enhancing access to telehealth services, and reducing wait times to increase program completion rates.” “You should guess,” she said.



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