Can a heart failure-specific cardiac rehabilitation program decrease hospitalizations and improve outcomes in high-risk patients?

Abstract

Background Heart failure is a common and costly condition, particularly in the elderly. A range of models of interventions have shown the capacity to decrease hospitalizations and improve health-related outcomes. Potentially, cardiac rehabilitation models can also improve outcomes. Aim To assess the impact of a nurse-coordinated multidisciplinary, cardiac rehabilitation program to decrease hospitalizations, increase functional capacity, and meet the needs of patients with heart failure.