The role of Dietitian in cardiac rehabilitation and prevention

Rehabilitation and secondary prevention programs are recognized as an essential part of the overall care of patients with cardiovascular disease. They consist of multidisciplinary strategies aiming at the reduction of modifiable risk factors for cardiovascular disease. Cardiac rehabilitation includes non-pharmacological interventions as: Patients’ evaluation. Nutritional counseling. Risk factors management (serum lipids, blood pressure, weight, diabetes, smoking). Psychosocial interventions. Physical activity and cardiovascular physical training counseling. Their effectiveness in the reduction of mortality through the decrease of risk factors has been proven in the last twenty years. Guidelines on appropriate and well-framed interventions have been released and nutritional interventions have a ringside seat in all programs. During 2007, the Italian Association of Dietitians, ANDID, created a working group of expert dietitians, with the goals of making a review of available scientific literature and of elaborating a Professional Position Papers on the role of Dietitian in cardiac rehabilitation and prevention. This Position Paper retrieves and remarks the available evidence that are important for the dietitians, according to their professional role and their contribution in the management of the topic.