Similar cardiac rehabilitation gains accompanied different gaps in target attainment
After acute coronary syndrome, women and men showed broadly similar changes during cardiac rehabilitation, while later activity, anxiety, and aerobic-capacity targets differed in how often they were met.
Based on the published abstract. The full paper may contain additional methods, results and limitations.
The 30-second takeaway
Women and men generally showed similar improvements during cardiac rehabilitation. Women improved more on depressive symptoms, yet were less likely to meet later physical-activity and anxiety targets. Men were less likely to meet aerobic-capacity targets. Similar changes during rehabilitation therefore did not mean equal proportions reached those targets afterward.
This abstract-based analysis does not report the numerical thresholds for its targets or establish why gaps persisted. It also cannot show whether a tailored rehabilitation program would close them.
What researchers found
Meeting physical-activity targets
Women versus men at 18 months' follow-up; p < 0.001.
What researchers compared
Researchers assessed walking performance, movement, cardiovascular risk factors, and psychological well-being. They compared women with men within an existing trial and accounted for age and differences present at the start.
Later gaps in reaching targets
At later follow-up, fewer women met the activity and anxiety targets, while fewer men met the aerobic-capacity target. These differences remained despite the broadly similar improvements reported during rehabilitation.
The original publication
Women and men profit equally from cardiac rehabilitation: a secondary analysis of the OPTICARE RCT.
Ter Hoeve N, De Bakker M, Sunamura M et al.
J Rehabil Med · 2026
- PubMed ID
- 41498600
- Record checked
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