Referral, Enrollment, and Delivery of Cardiac Rehabilitation for Women

Coronary heart disease is the leading killer of women worldwide. Empirical literature documents substantial morbidity and mortality benefits for cardiac rehabilitation participants. Scientific advances have informed the development of evidence-based guidelines for improving the delivery of cardiac rehabilitation yet persistent themes surrounding the substandard referral and utilization rates by women continue unabated in the literature. This review provides an update of the current status of cardiac rehabilitation for women, including a brief overview of the latest findings regarding the unique presentations of heart disease in women. An innovative secondary prevention program, designed exclusively for women is described, and illustrates an attempt to modify a contemporary traditional cardiac rehabilitation program to improve attendance rates and health outcomes in women. Future research with large, diverse samples of women are essential for guiding gender-appropriate referral strategies, effective modifications to traditional center-based programs, and the efficacy of alternative cardiac rehabilitation care models for women.