National survey of cardiac rehabilitation programs in Portugal--situation in 1999.

In order to study the status of Cardiac Rehabilitation (CR) in Portugal in 1998 and 1999, a questionnaire was drafted and sent to all the heads of the CR centres in Portugal, with questions about their nature, location, staff, type of activity, movement, diagnosis leading to patient referral and funding. The rate of coronary patients admitted to the programs existing in the cities of Lisbon and Oporto was calculated. The total number of patients included in all the CR centres in both cities was subtracted from the total number of public hospital discharges of coronary patients in 1998, patients admitted due to acute ischaemic coronary syndrome or for revascularization in Portugal and in each of the two cities. We found that there were CR centres in only the two main cities (Lisbon and Oporto), with organization and types of activity in accordance with international guidelines and recommendations. The overall admission rate of coronary patients in Portugal in 1998 was 0.7%, with 0.9% and 1.9% in Lisbon and Oporto, respectively. These rates are well below the figures for countries of the European Union and for the USA. It is very important to increase the establishment and spread of CR centres throughout the country, creating the financial conditions and promoting a change in culture regarding physical activity and CR on the part of the Portuguese population, patients and health care providers responsible for the referral of cardiac patients to a therapeutic intervention that can increase quality of life and longevity. Doctors should be involved in programs that will train them to recognize the benefits of physical activity and secondary prevention.