ESC Guidelines on prevention and rehabilitation in coronary heart disease and current practice: the EUROASPIRE VI survey
Authors' conclusion
Most European patients are not achieving targets set by prevention guidelines. There is marked variability in CR attendance, evidence of inverse care with lowest attendance in highest risk regions, despite better outcomes for CR.
Study context
- Population
- Patients with Coronary Heart Disease (CHD) in Europe, September 2024–February 202623.7% female
- Participants
- 8,590 patients
- Exposure
- Guideline target attainment across countries, risk regions and cardiac rehabilitation (CR) attendance
- Outcome
- Risk factor prevalence and target attainment
Methodological detailsobservational, multicentre (160 hospitals, 27 countries)
- Observational
- Multicentre (160 hospitals, 27 countries)
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
- Current smokers
- 17.1%
- Obese
- 32.0%
- Low physical activity
- 33.5%
- Above BP target (SBP ≥ 130 and/or DBP ≥ 80 mmHg)
- 59.8%
- Above LDL-C target (≥ 1.4 mmol/l)
- 82.7%
- Known diabetes
- 32.8%
- HbA1c ≥ 7% among those with diabetes
- 42.2%
- CKD
- 30.6%
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
Attendance at ≥1 CR session
- Attendance at ≥1 CR session — Overall CR attendance
- 29.1%
- Attendance at ≥1 CR session — Country variability
- 0% to 79%
- Attendance at ≥1 CR session — Difference by risk region
- p < 0.001
Outcomes by CR attendance
- CR attendance associated with significantly better lifestyles, risk factor control and use of cardioprotective drugs
Original publication
ESC Guidelines on prevention and rehabilitation in coronary heart disease and current practice: the EUROASPIRE VI survey. Eur Heart J. Published 29 August 2026. doi:10.
Summarised from the published abstract; every number is checked against it