Phase I:

Phase I, or the inpatient phase, typically begins at the coronary care unit, intensive care unit, postoperative ward, or cardiac rehabilitation ward. It should begin as soon as the patient stabilizes after an acute cardiac event and should be continued until their discharge from hospital. Phase I comprises:


Phase I B (provided in some countries):

The transitional phase encompasses the period from hospital discharge until the start of the structured program and includes:

• Education in the form of home visits or phone calls by a cardiac rehabilitation team member, usually a nurse.

• Control of gradual low-level home activity program progression.

### Phase II:

Phase II should start as soon as possible, preferably within two weeks of discharge.

Phase II can take the form of a structured, multidisciplinary, supervised outpatient, residential, or hybrid program and usually lasts up to 12 weeks. Prior to the commencement of a medically supervised exercise training program, an initial assessment and risk stratification will be performed by a cardiologist. Risk stratification is based on the severity of symptoms, left ventricular function, functional capacity level, and the presence of residual ischemia or arrhythmia [24]. Phase II also includes comprehensive education and counseling regarding modifiable cardiovascular risk factors, the optimization of medical therapy, smoking cessation programs (if necessary), vocational counseling, and stress management. Residential phase II programs, typically lasting 3–4 weeks, should be limited to:


At the end of phase II, a re-assessment should be performed (focusing on clinical status, functional capacity, quality of life, psychological and nutritional status), and the patient's progress should be documented [12].
