Abstract

As one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality in Canada, cardiovascular diseases highlight the significance of disease prevention and risk reduction programs. A crucial component of comprehensive cardiovascular care is cardiac rehabilitation (CR). Over 200 CR programs have been established all over the country, varying in length, number of in-person supervised exercise sessions, and home exercise frequency recommendations. The efficiency of healthcare services must constantly be reevaluated in a healthcare environment that is becoming increasingly cost-conscious. By comparing the peak metabolic equivalents that study participants achieve in each of the two CR programs implemented by the Northern Alberta Cardiac Rehabilitation Program, this study compares and contrasts their effects. We hypothesize that, in comparison to our "Traditional" CR program, which required biweekly in-person exercise sessions for five weeks, our "Hybrid" CR program, which is structured as an eight-week program with weekly in-person exercise sessions and a prescribed home exercise program, has similar patient outcomes. The study's findings may have an impact on how to reduce barriers to rehabilitation participation and the effectiveness of CR programs over time. Future rehabilitation programs' structure and funding may be influenced by it.