ExCR reduces hospitalization and enhances quality of life in people with CHD, according to findings published in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology.

This individual participant data meta-analysis pooled eight randomized controlled trials comprising 4,975 participants, 93.5% of whom were post–myocardial infarction. Trials published since 2010 were included to reflect contemporary ExCR practice. Outcomes included all-cause and cardiovascular hospitalization, mortality, and health-related quality of life (HRQoL).

Compared with no-rehabilitation controls, ExCR reduced the risk of all-cause hospitalization (hazard ratio [HR] 0.68, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.53–0.87) and cardiovascular hospitalization (HR 0.62, 95% CI 0.47–0.83), and improved HRQoL up to 12 months (mean difference in utility index 0.032, 95% CI 0.003–0.061). No significant differences were found in all-cause or cardiovascular mortality. Subgroup analyses revealed stronger HRQoL improvements among participants with lower baseline HRQoL or education level, and greater hospitalization reductions in those with reduced left ventricular ejection fraction, lower exercise capacity, beta-blocker use, or prior cardiovascular disease.

These findings confirm that contemporary ExCR remains effective and broadly applicable. The results reinforce international guideline recommendations that all patients with CHD should be offered structured exercise-based cardiac rehabilitation as part of secondary prevention care.