Training and attitudes concerning cardiac rehabilitation in Portugal: A national survey of physician members of the Portuguese Society of Cardiology

Eduardo M Vilela; Luísa Bento; Luís Oliveira; Ana Abreu; Hélder Dores; Madalena Teixeira; Miguel Mendes; Paulo Fontes; Ricardo Fontes-Carvalho; Hélder Pereira; Lino Gonçalves

doi:10.1016/j.repc.2023.12.009

Training and attitudes concerning cardiac rehabilitation in Portugal: A national survey of physician members of the Portuguese Society of Cardiology

Rev Port Cardiol. 2024 Mar 8:S0870-2551(24)00074-X. doi: 10.1016/j.repc.2023.12.009. Online ahead of print.

[Article in English, Portuguese]

Authors

Affiliations

¹ Cardiology Department, Centro Hospitalar de Vila Nova de Gaia/Espinho, Vila Nova de Gaia, Portugal. Electronic address: eduardomvilela@gmail.com.
² Cardiology Department, Hospital Garcia de Orta, Portugal.
³ Cardiology Department, Centro Hospitalar Universitário Cova da Beira, Covilhã, Portugal.
⁴ Serviço de Cardiologia, Hospital Universitário de Santa Maria/Centro Hospitalar Universitário Lisboa Norte (CHULN), Lisboa, Portugal; Centro Académico de Medicina de Lisboa (CAML), Centro Cardiovascular da Universidade de Lisboa (CCUL), Lisboa, Portugal; Instituto de Saúde Ambiental (ISAMB), Instituto Medicina Preventiva e Saúde Pública (IMPSP), Instituto de Medicina Nuclear (IMN), Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de Lisboa (FMUL), Lisboa, Portugal.
⁵ Cardiology Department, Hospital da Luz, Lisboa, Portugal; NOVA Medical School, Faculdade de Ciências Médicas, NMS|FCM, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal; CHRC, NOVA Medical School, Faculdade de Ciências Médicas, NMS|FCM, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal.
⁶ Cardiology Department, Centro Hospitalar de Vila Nova de Gaia/Espinho, Vila Nova de Gaia, Portugal.
⁷ Cardiology Department, Centro Hospitalar de Lisboa Ocidental - Hospital de Santa Cruz, Carnaxide, Portugal.
⁸ Cardiology Department, Centro Hospitalar de Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro, Vila Real, Portugal.
⁹ Cardiology Department, Centro Hospitalar de Vila Nova de Gaia/Espinho, Vila Nova de Gaia, Portugal; Cardiovascular Research Center (UniC@RISE), Faculty of Medicine, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal.
¹⁰ Cardiology Department, Hospital Garcia de Orta, Portugal; Faculty of Medicine, University of Lisbon, Lisboa, Portugal.
¹¹ Cardiology Department, Centro Hospitalar Universitário de Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal; Faculty of Medicine, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal.

PMID: 38460749
DOI: 10.1016/j.repc.2023.12.009

Abstract

Introduction and objectives: Cardiac rehabilitation (CR) is a central component in the management of cardiovascular disease. While its potential benefits have been extensively explored and confirmed, its implementation is still suboptimal, due to various possible barriers. This study aimed to assess training and attitudes concerning CR among physicians in a Portuguese setting.

Methods: An online questionnaire structured in three parts (participant characteristics, training and attitudes concerning CR, and a brief general knowledge assessment) was developed and sent to members of the Portuguese Society of Cardiology. The study population encompassed physicians with a medical specialty or residents from the third year onward of a specialty program.

Results: A total of 97 individuals (57.7% male, 61.9% aged ≤50 years) presented valid answers. CR was available at the workplace of 54.6% of participants. Most of them considered that the time allocated to CR training during residency was inadequate, and thought that more time was needed for this purpose. Most had not dedicated (or intended to dedicate) time for CR training, with lack of time being the most frequently attributed reason. In terms of referral, a substantial proportion of subjects did not refer patients, with lack of CR centers and human resources being the most frequent reasons.

Conclusions: This survey provides contemporary data on CR training and attitudes, highlighting areas of potential improvement, such as time allocated to training in this area. These results could provide a useful pragmatic framework for optimization of training and awareness in this pivotal field of cardiovascular medicine.

Keywords: Cardiac rehabilitation; Cardiac rehabilitation training; Cardiology training; Cardiovascular prevention; Formação; Prevenção cardiovascular; Reabilitação cardíaca; Training; Treino em cardiologia; Treino em reabilitação cardíaca.