Cardiovascular telerehabilitation: Remotely monitored physical exercise

Abstract

Cardiovascular rehabilitation (CR) is a useful comprehensive approach in the secondary prevention of cardiovascular diseases such as coronary artery disease and heart failure through programs based on specialized hospital centers. Comprehensive CR reduces morbidity and mortality and increases the quality of life of cardiac patients. Despite the benefits it brings, patient participation in rehabilitation programs is low. In addition to the low utilization rate and completion of the CR program, the goals of secondary prevention in a large proportion of heart patients are not achieved. This condition seems to be an opportunity for improvement. Cardiovascular telerehabilitation can have an impact on barriers that prevent the use of CR programs. In telerehabilitation, one or more components of CR are distributed outside a specialized hospital center through telemonitoring, e-learning, or telecoaching. Current clinical studies show that cardiovascular telerehabilitation is a safe, cost-effective, and efficient alternative in improving functional capacity and quality of life in patients with coronary artery disease. The development and implementation of cardiovascular telerehabilitation are generally supported by the European Association of Preventive Cardiology, especially in the current global situation with the COVID-19 pandemic; this topic is becoming increasingly important.