Cardiac Rehab Can Cut Repeat Hospitalisation, Say Experts

Cardiac rehabilitation needs to become an integral part of cardiovascular care in India, with a structured, multidisciplinary approach to help patients recover, prevent further complications and return to a better quality of life, experts said at a workshop here.

The call came at the release of the Standard Clinical Practice Guidelines for Cardiac Rehabilitation in the Indian Context (2026) at Vardhman Mahavir Medical College (VMMC) and Safdarjung Hospital on Saturday.

Cardiac rehab is a comprehensive, medically supervised programme designed to help people recover after a heart attack, bypass surgery, valve surgery, heart transplant or other cardiac procedure.

The guidelines seek to bring greater consistency to cardiac rehabilitation services across the country, while taking into account India’s wide variations in healthcare infrastructure, availability of trained professionals, patient awareness and access to rehabilitation.

The workshop brought together cardiologists, clinicians, academicians, rehabilitation specialists and public health experts, with speakers stressing that surviving a heart attack or undergoing cardiac surgery should not mark the end of treatment.

Dr Ajay Gupta, Professor and Head, Department of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, VMMC & Safdarjung Hospital, said rehabilitation should be seen as part of the entire continuum of cardiac care. Recovery, he noted, involves much more than regaining physical strength.

A comprehensive programme requires assessment of a patient’s functional capacity, supervised exercise, lifestyle changes, dietary advice and psychosocial support. It also needs to help patients adopt healthier habits that can reduce the risk of another cardiac event.

Dr Suman Badhal, Professor, Department of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, VMMC & Safdarjung Hospital, and Lead Guideline Developer, presented the scope and development of the guidelines.

She said the framework was developed through an evidence-based process while keeping Indian healthcare realities in mind. The guidelines propose a multidisciplinary model involving cardiologists, PMR specialists, physiotherapists, dietitians, psychologists, nurses and other healthcare professionals.

The approach includes risk assessment, exercise prescription, lifestyle modification, psychological support and long-term secondary prevention.

This is particularly important in a country where cardiovascular disease is a major health burden and access to structured rehabilitation remains uneven. For many patients, rehabilitation can be difficult to access because of a lack of awareness, trained personnel and dedicated services.

Dr Rakesh Kumar Srivastava, Chairperson, Guideline Development Committee, said a standardised framework could help bring greater uniformity to cardiac rehabilitation and encourage its integration into mainstream cardiac care.

The guidelines have also received support from the World Health Organization. Dr Tashi Tobgay, Regional Adviser, Disability, Injury Prevention and Rehabilitation, WHO Regional Office for South-East Asia, highlighted the need to strengthen rehabilitation as an essential component of healthcare systems.

The participation of WHO-SEARO also underlined the wider importance of rehabilitation in improving long-term health outcomes, particularly as patients live longer with chronic cardiovascular conditions.

Dr Kavita Rani Sharma, Director, VMMC & Safdarjung Hospital, said scientific advances must ultimately translate into better patient care. She emphasised the institution’s commitment to evidence-based and patient-centred healthcare.

Chief Guest Dr Nirmal Kumar Ganguly, eminent scientist and public health expert, highlighted the growing cardiovascular disease burden and the need for accessible and organised rehabilitation services.

He stressed the importance of clinical guidance that is scientifically sound but also suited to India’s healthcare infrastructure and resource constraints.

Guests of Honour Dr Harsh Wardhan and Dr Vijay Mohan Kohli also appreciated the work of the multidisciplinary team involved in developing the guidelines.

Experts said the larger challenge now is to ensure that the guidelines do not remain confined to academic or tertiary-care settings. Their value will ultimately depend on how widely they are adopted and whether patients across different levels of the health system can access rehabilitation.

According to the American Heart Association’s scientific statement released in October 2024 in the journal 'Circulation', people who participate in cardiac rehab are 42% less likely to be readmitted to the hospital after six to 12 months. They also have a lower risk of dying from a heart attack or other cardiovascular issues, it said, adding that in terms of overall mortality risk, women see even more of a benefit from cardiac rehab than men.