NEW cardiac rehabilitation guidelines from the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) have highlighted the wide-ranging benefits of structured rehabilitation programmes for patients with cardiovascular disease.
Presented at ESC Congress 2026, these dedicated guidelines highlighted the benefits of cardiac rehabilitation for heart health, physical function, quality of life, and mental wellbeing.
Cardiac rehabilitation is a personalised programme designed to support recovery after a cardiac event or heart operation and to help patients manage ongoing cardiovascular disease.
While recommendations have previously appeared within guidance for specific conditions, these are the first dedicated guidelines to bring together evidence across a broad range of cardiovascular diseases.
The document outlines the benefits of cardiac rehabilitation, identifies its essential components, and provides recommendations on implementation and patient selection.
The guidance emphasises that cardiac rehabilitation should be delivered through an individualised approach that considers each patient’s needs, preferences, and circumstances.
Shared decision-making between healthcare professionals and patients is recommended to support tailored care and long-term engagement.
According to the guidelines, effective cardiac rehabilitation programmes are delivered by multidisciplinary teams and combine exercise training, emotional support, and personalised education.
Educational components include guidance on sustainable lifestyle changes and adherence to prescribed medication.
The recommendations stress that cardiac rehabilitation extends beyond cardiovascular recovery alone.
The guidelines suggest that alongside reducing the risk of future cardiac events and supporting heart health, rehabilitation can help patients regain confidence, independence, and trust in their physical capabilities.
According to its authors, the patient perspective played a central role in the development of the guidelines, reflecting the importance of addressing both physical and psychological recovery following a major cardiac event.
In addition to established indications such as patients with heart failure and those recovering from a heart attack, the guidelines identify potential benefits for a wider range of patient groups.
These include patients with congenital heart disease, atrial fibrillation, those undergoing heart valve replacement, and patients with cancer who have received anticancer therapies associated with cardiac side effects.
Despite evidence supporting its effectiveness, cardiac rehabilitation remains underused in many countries, according to the guideline’s authors. These new guidelines identify reimbursement challenges as a significant barrier to implementation and access.
They also highlight the potential role of digitally enhanced home-based cardiac rehabilitation programmes incorporating remote monitoring and teleconsultations. For selected patients, these approaches may improve convenience while helping reduce healthcare costs.
The publication of these guidelines represents a significant step towards improving awareness, uptake, and implementation of cardiac rehabilitation across diverse cardiovascular populations, with the aim of enhancing both clinical outcomes and overall wellbeing.
2026 ESC Guidelines for cardiac rehabilitation. Eur Heart J. 2026;DOI:10.1093/eurheartj/ehag099.
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