Cardiac Rehabilitation and Secondary Prevention Roundtable: Australian Implementation and Research Priorities

Cardiovascular disease (CVD), including coronary heart disease (CHD) and stroke, is the leading cause of death and disease burden globally [1]. CVD resulted in>1.1 million hospitalisations in 2015-16, and incurs the highest level of health care sector expenditure in Australia (11-12% of total health expenditure) [2]. CHD accounts for the greatest single disease morbidity (>500,000 bed-days annually) and nearly one fifth of all deaths with a total cost of $1.14 billion annually [2]. Over 65,000 Australians experience an acute coronary event (heart attack or unstable angina) each year [3], and, importantly, around a third of these occur in people who have prior CHD and are therefore largely preventable [4,5].

Source: Heart, Lung and Circulation - February 28, 2020 Category: Cardiology Authors: Julie Redfern, Gemma Figtree, Clara Chow, Garry Jennings, Tom Briffa, Robyn Gallagher, Rachelle Foreman, on behalf of Roundtable Attendees Tags: Editorial Source Type: research