Hospital-based cardiac rehabilitation

This article explores the historical background of cardiac rehabilitation, its goals, and the aims of each of the four phases of a comprehensive cardiac rehabilitation program. Aspects of phase I - inpatient program and phase II - early post-discharge outpatient program are described in detail. The discussion of phases III and IV illustrates how the principles of exercise training are applied clinically in cardiac rehabilitation. Finally, the management of a patient with double-acute disability, acute myocardial infarction or coronary artery bypass graft, or acute stroke is presented briefly.