Cardiac Rehabilitation and Percutaneous Coronary Intervention: Together Against Global Burden of Cardiovascular Disease

Percutaneous coronary interventions (PCI) have become the most frequently used technique of revascularization. Nevertheless, has not shown be superior to optimized medical therapy in the case of stable atherosclerotic coronary artery disease. Moreover, even after acute myocardial infarction (AMI), coronary risk profile often remains elevated exposing the patients (P) to events such as death and reinfarction. The cardiac rehabilitation (CR) has been shown to reduce all-cause mortality, cardiovascular mortality and events after AMI. But it is able to improve the outcome in patients undergoing PCI. The objective of this manuscript is to summarize the current knowledge with respect to CR after PCI, in terms of improvement of risk factors, functional capacity and prognosis. The biochemical mechanisms that underlying the exercise-induced benefits will be briefly described. We will critically assess the reasons why the low use of CR and the poor secondary prevention after angioplasty. We will demonstrate how PCI and CR together are the most effective intervention to fight the recurrence of cardiovascular disease (CVD).