The Economics of Cardiac Rehabilitation in North, Central, and South America: A Narrative Review

Abstract

Cardiac rehabilitation (CR) is an effective strategy for the secondary prevention of cardiovascular disease in individuals living with ischemic heart disease or heart failure, and among patients who have recently undergone cardiovascular surgery. Although CR is recommended by clinical guidelines and typically covered by payers, its uptake has been low. This is in part because of substantial economic barriers to accessing CR. Understanding the economics of CR from the perspective of various stakeholders -including patients, clinicians, health systems, and payers - is critical to developing strategies that optimize CR supply and demand, and increase uptake among populations most likely to benefit from this therapy. In this review, we summarize the currently available evidence, highlight current knowledge gaps, and identify key questions that should be prioritized in future research to guide the implementation of CR delivery.

Keywords: cardiac rehabilitation; cardiovascular disease; cost effectiveness; global health; value.