DALLAS, Oct. 14, 2025 — People who participate in cardiac rehabilitation programs after a major cardiac event have improved quality of life and long-term cardiovascular health. However, significant differences exist in cardiac rehabilitation access, participation and outcomes for women compared to men, according to a new scientific statement published today in the American Heart Association’s flagship journal Circulation.
”Cardiac rehab helps people recover physically after a major heart event, while also empowering patients by supporting their emotional and social well-being throughout the recovery process,” said Chair of the scientific statement writing group Thais Coutinho, M.D., professor of medicine and director of the Aorta Clinic at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. “By offering personalized care and support for women with heart disease, we can help improve their quality of life and reduce the risk of a future cardiac event.”
The new American Heart Association scientific statement, Cardiac Rehabilitation in Women, details these gaps and suggests evidence-based strategies to increase referral and completion rates for cardiac rehab programs among women with cardiovascular disease (CVD).
“There’s an urgent need to improve awareness about the benefits of cardiac rehabilitation, increase referral rates for women and eliminate the barriers that women face so they can participate and embrace the opportunity for longer, healthier, happier lives,” Coutinho said.
Scientific Statement highlights include:
The new scientific statement was prepared by a volunteer writing group on behalf of the American Heart Association’s Exercise, Cardiac Rehabilitation, and Sports Cardiology Science Committee of the Council on Clinical Cardiology; the Women’s Health Science Committee of the Council on Clinical Cardiology and the Stroke Council; the Council on Cardiopulmonary, Critical Care, Perioperative and Resuscitation; the Council on Cardiovascular and Stroke Nursing; the Council on Lifestyle and Cardiometabolic Health; and the Council on Quality of Care and Outcomes Research. While scientific statements inform the development of guidelines, they do not make treatment recommendations. American Heart Association guidelines provide the Association’s official clinical practice recommendations. Authors of the scientific statement and their disclosures are listed in the manuscript.
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Circulation
Cardiac Rehabilitation in Women: A Scientific Statement From the American Heart Association