The Canadian Association of Cardiac Rehabilitation defines cardiac rehabilitation as:

"The enhancement and maintenance of cardiovascular health through individualized programs designed to optimize physical, psychological, social, vocational and emotional status.

This process includes the facilitation and delivery of secondary prevention through heart hazard identification and modification, in an effort to prevent disease progression and recurrence of cardiac events."

Secondary Prevention

The sum total of all interventions, both physiological and behavioural, designed to favourably modify an individual's lifestyle, enhance adherence and reinforce compliance with long-term behaviours compatible with minimizing disease progression. Spring 1998.

Cardiac Rehabilitation Program 

The Canadian Association of Cardiac Rehabilitation defines a program as being hospital and/or community based or a satellite of either. All programs must have:

Programs are encouraged to have a research component. October 1999.