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Comprehensive cardiac rehabilitation (CR) is a mainstay of the secondary prevention of cardiovascular disease. In the European Society of Cardiology guidelines, comprehensive cardiovascular rehabilitation has the highest class of recommendation and level of evidence as an effective method for the treatment of patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction, after myocardial revascularization, with chronic coronary syndrome, for CVD prevention in clinical practice, and in patients with heart failure (HF). This document presents an expert opinion of the Cardiac Rehabilitation and Exercise Physiology Section of the Polish Cardiac Society concerning the definition, goals, target population, organization of rehabilitation services, standard clinical indications and methods of implementation. Moreover, it describes psychosocial risk factors influencing the course of CR and secondary prevention of cardiovascular disease in patients undergoing CR. Comprehensive CR is as a process that should be implemented as soon as possible, continued without interruption, and consist of multiple stages. Moreover, it should be tailored to the individual clinical situation and should be accepted by the patient and their family, friends, and caregivers.

Cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET) is an important diagnostic tool in contemporary clinical practice. This document presents an expert opinion from the Working Group on Cardiac Rehabilitation and Exercise Physiology of the Polish Cardiac Society concerning the indications, performance technique, and interpretation of results for CPET in adult cardiology. CPET is an electrocardiographic exercise test expanded with exercise evaluation of ventilatory and gas exchange parameters. It allows for a global assessment of the exercise performance including the pulmonary, cardiovascular, hematopoietic, neuropsychological, and musculoskeletal systems. It provides a noninvasive dynamic evaluation during exercise and is a reference modality for exercise capacity assessment. Moreover, it allows the measurement of numerous prognostic parameters. It is useful in cardiology, pulmonology, oncology, perioperative assessment, rehabilitation as well as in sports medicine and in the evaluation of healthy people. This test not only helps to diagnose the causes of exercise intolerance but also supports the evaluation of the treatment. New opportunities are offered by combining CPET with imaging such as exercise stress echocardiography. These tests are complementary and synergistic in their diagnostic and prognostic strength.

Introduction and Objectives: Although physical activity has been found to reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases and depression in the general population, little is known about physical patterns and the link with postnatal depressive symptoms and awareness of cardiovascular risk factors in postpartum women. The aim of this study was to examine physical activity patterns and their link to depressive symptoms in postpartum women. The secondary endpoint was the assessment of health awareness in women six months after delivery., Material and Methods: Eighty postpartum women with a mean age of 27±4 years (group A - 40 physically active women, group B - 40 women leading a sedentary lifestyle) completed a self-report questionnaire and The Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) questionnaire., Results: In group A, the types of physical activity undertaken in the six-month period after delivery were as follows: 20 women - housework (180 min/session), 18 women - gentle walks (180 min/session), 16 women - group fitness classes (60 min/session), 6 - rapid walking (40 min/session), 3 women - swimming (60 min/session), 2 women - jogging (45 min/session), 1 woman - squash, (45 min/session) 1 - dancing (90 min/session), 1 - tennis (60min/session). Group B declared a sedentary lifestyle and physical activity of less than 30 min a day. The level of health awareness was statistically better in women who were physically active six months after delivery than in women who led a sedentary lifestyle. On a scale with a maximum 55 points, the mean scores were 47.4 in group A and 31.2 in group B (p=0.001). Depressive symptoms were more pronounced in group B. Twenty seven women from group A and three women from group B returned to their pre-pregnancy weight (p=0.04)., Conclusions: Women who were physically active after delivery were characterized by higher health awareness and more frequent return to pre-pregnancy weight. Physical activity may be important for reducing the risk of postnatal depression.