Experience of cardiac tele-rehabilitation: analysis of patient narratives.

Understanding patients' self-image and prior lifestyle may better inform clinicians about why it can be difficult for patients to follow rehabilitation recommendations. Therefore, clinicians may need to focus more on these two factors to help patients adapt to life with heart disease. IMPLICATIONS FOR REHABILITATION Patients' self-image and prior lifestyle may be important factors for how patients adapt to their new life situation with heart disease within a cardiac tele-rehabilitation program. Patients' commitment to selected rehabilitation interventions may be either too high or too low if it fails to take into consideration their self-image and prior lifestyle. Understanding patients' self-image and prior lifestyle may better inform clinicians and their understanding of why it can be difficult for patients to follow the rehabilitation recommendations.