Early cardiac rehabilitation: could it improve functional outcomes and reduce length of stay and sanitary costs in patients aged 75 years or older? A retrospective case–control study

Cardiac rehabilitation (CR) is considered as a cornerstone in improving physical function in older people after cardiac procedures; however, its effects in patients aged more than 75 years are still debated. To assess the effectiveness of early CR in improving functional outcomes and reducing the length of stay (LOS) and sanitary costs in patients aged ≥ 75 years. We retrospectively analysed data from medical records of patients aged ≥ 75 years performed CR after cardiac procedures. Patients were divided into two groups according to the median timing lasting from the cardiac procedure and CR start: ‘early rehabilitation’ (