Cardiac rehabilitation in women: state of the art and strategies to overcome the current barriers

Abstract

 

Cardiac rehabilitation is able to reduce cardiovascular mortality, and improves functional capacity and quality of life. However, cardiac rehabilitation participation rates are low and the current evidence has demonstrated sex differences for the access to cardiac rehabilitation programs. In this review, we discuss the benefits of cardiac rehabilitation in women with a specific focus on ischemic heart disease, heart failure, cardiac rehabilitation after cardiac surgery and after transcatheter aortic valve implantation, and peripheral artery disease. We also analyse the current limitations to cardiac rehabilitation for women in terms of accessibility and indications, reporting general, sex-specific, and healthcare-related barriers. Finally, we discuss the potential solutions and areas of development for the coming years.