Optimizing Cardiac Rehabilitation in Heart Failure: Comprehensive Insights, Barriers, and Future Strategies

Heart failure (HF) is a prevalent cardiovascular disease associated with significant morbidity, mortality, and healthcare costs. Cardiac rehabilitation (CR) is a structured, multidisciplinary intervention that has been proven to improve functional capacity, reduce hospital readmissions, and enhance the quality of life in HF patients. Despite strong clinical evidence and guideline endorsements, CR remains underutilized in this population. This paper provides a comprehensive review of the role of CR in HF, focusing on exercise-based rehabilitation, psychosocial support, and education. It also explores the barriers to CR implementation, such as patient-related factors, provider-related issues, and systemic challenges. Additionally, we propose future strategies to increase CR uptake, including personalized CR programs, telehealth innovations, and integrating CR into routine HF care pathways. By addressing these challenges and implementing these strategies, healthcare systems can optimize CR delivery and improve outcomes for HF patients.