Abstract
Background
Post-acute care (PAC) following acute coronary syndrome (ACS) aims to reduce recurrent cardiovascular events, improve cardiac function, enhance quality of life, and lower mortality. Effective PAC requires a multidisciplinary team including cardiologists, nurses, dietitians, rehabilitation specialists, and psychologists to deliver individualized strategies.
Objectives
To summarize current evidence and provide consensus recommendations across three key domains of PAC: nutritional management, pharmacotherapy, and cardiac rehabilitation.
Methods
This consensus was developed from 2024-2025 through expert discussions hosted by the Taiwan Myocardial Infarction Society (TAMIS) Expert Committee, based on a review of current scientific and clinical evidence.
Results
Nutritional management emphasizes Mediterranean and DASH dietary patterns, restriction of saturated and trans fats, and weight control; evidence for most nutraceuticals remains limited. Pharmacotherapy focuses on guideline-directed medical therapy and adherence management, with pharmacist-provided education and follow-up shown to improve clinical outcomes. For cardiac rehabilitation, center-based programs have been shown to reduce rehospitalization, recurrent events, and mortality. Home-based models improve quality of life and accessibility with comparable functional benefits and no significant difference in short-term mortality compared to center-based care. Telerehabilitation also enhances functional recovery, though its specific effects on mortality and rehospitalization remain inconclusive.
Conclusions
Current evidence underscores that nutrition planning, pharmacist involvement, and structured rehabilitation are central to integrated PAC for ACS. Multidisciplinary collaboration is essential to optimize long-term outcomes and support patient recovery.
Keywords: Acute coronary syndrome, Cardiac rehabilitation, Multidisciplinary, Nutrition, Pharmacotherapy, Post-acute care
Abbreviations
ACS, Acute coronary syndrome
ASCVD, Atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease
BP, Blood pressure
CBCR, Center-based cardiac rehabilitation
CR, Cardiac rehabilitation
DASH, Dietary approaches to stop hypertension
HbA1c, Glycated hemoglobin
HBCR, Home-based cardiac rehabilitation
HDL-C, High-density lipoprotein cholesterol
LDL-C, Low-density lipoprotein cholesterol
MACE, Major adverse cardiovascular event
mHealth, Mobile health
PAC, Post-acute care
TSOC, Taiwan Society of Cardiology
INTRODUCTION
Post-acute care (PAC) following acute coronary syndrome (ACS) is a critical phase in cardiovascular disease management, with the aim of reducing recurrent events, improving cardiac function, enhancing quality of life, and reducing mortality. Effective PAC requires a multidisciplinary team including cardiologists, nurses, dietitians, rehabilitation specialists, and psychologists to provide integrated and individualized care plans. The content of this manuscript was developed through expert discussions convened by the Taiwan Myocardial Infarction Society (TAMIS) Expert Committee during 2024-2025. This consensus focuses on three major domains: nutrition, pharmacotherapy, and cardiac rehabilitation, and summarizes key clinical recommendations and evidence-based strategies.
NUTRITION
Currently, there is no definitive conclusion on the optimal diet for post-ACS patients, however general principles should follow cardiovascular prevention guidelines. The Mediterranean diet is the preferred model, emphasizing abundant intake of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, legumes, fish and olive oil, while limiting saturated and trans fats. Caloric intake should be controlled to maintain or achieve ideal body weight, with a body mass index between 18.5-24 kg/m2. For weight reduction, a daily caloric deficit of approximately 500-1000 kcal may achieve a loss of 0.5-1 kg per week in overweight and obesity patients.
The Mediterranean diet has been shown to lower the risk of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD).1-3 Strict adherence to this diet with moderate alcohol intake and reduced red meat, dairy, and saturated fat intake has been associated with a 10% reduction in cardiovascular events or mortality and an 8% reduction in all-cause mortality.4 One study showed that compared with a low-fat control diet, adherence to a Mediterranean diet enriched with nuts or extra-virgin olive oil for five years reduced the risk of ASCVD by 28% and 31%, respectively.5
Dietary recommendations emphasize prioritizing polyunsaturated fats and limiting saturated fatty acid intake. Foods rich in saturated fats including fatty meats, butter, lard, and coconut oil, should be avoided, and total saturated fat intake should be restricted to less than 7% of total caloric intake. Omega-3-rich fish (e.g., salmon, mackerel) should be consumed at least twice per week.
Patients with chronic coronary disease should avoid trans fats, which are linked to increased risk and mortality,2 and replace saturated with unsaturated fats.6 The GISSI-Prevenzione trial reported that supplementation with 1 g/day of n-3 PUFA reduced all-cause and cardiovascular mortality by 10-30%, while vitamin E provided no benefit.7 In a study on hypercholesterolemic Asian patients receiving statin therapy, 1800 mg/day eicosapentaenoic acid was shown to reduce major coronary artery events by 19%, particularly in secondary prevention.8 For statin-treated chronic coronary disease patients with an low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) level < 100 mg/dL and triglyceride level 150-499 mg/dL, icosapent ethyl may further reduce major adverse cardiovascular events (MACEs) and cardiovascular death.2,9 However, a 2024 prospective multicenter randomized clinical trial showed no overall difference in MACEs after 6.6 years of omega-3 therapy, although the patients who achieved a ≥ 5% increase in red blood cell omega-3 had significantly fewer events.10 A clinical decision-making tree for omega-3 supplementation is provided in Figure 1 to guide clinicians from general dietary advice to specific prescription indications.
Figure 1.
A tiered approach guiding clinicians from general dietary advice to specific prescription indications for high-risk groups. ACS, acute coronary syndrome; CCD, chronic coronary disease; LDL-C, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol.
The dietary approaches to stop hypertension (DASH) diet emphasizes the consumption of vegetables, fruits, whole grains, low-fat dairy, nuts, legumes, fish, and plant-based protein while limiting intake of fats, sodium, refined carbohydrates, processed meats and sugar-sweetened beverages, and its adoption should also be encouraged. Sodium intake should be restricted to < 1500 mg/day (< 3.75 g salt). The DASH diet has been associated with 11 mmHg and 3 mmHg reductions in systolic and diastolic blood pressure (BP), respectively, and reducing daily salt by 2.5 g has been shown to decrease ASCVD risk by 20%.2,3,11-13 A comparison between the Mediterranean and DASH diets is summarized in Table 1.
Table 1. Comparison between the mediterranean and DASH diets.
| Item | Mediterranean diet | DASH diet |
| Main characteristics | Emphasizes fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts, and olive oil; moderate intake of fish; limited consumption of red meat, butter, added sugars and sugary drinks. | Emphasizes fruits, vegetables, whole grains, low-fat dairy products, legumes, nuts, and fish; restricts saturated fats and processed foods; reduces sodium intake. |
| Sources of protein | Fish, moderate cheese and yoghurt, legumes, and small amounts of red meat. | Fish, legumes, and low-fat dairy products. |
| Sources of fat | Monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats (from olive oil, nuts, and fish). | Focuses on reducing total and saturated fat intake. |
| Cardiovascular benefits | Reduces ASCVD risk by 10-31% and all-cause mortality by approximately 8%. | Lowers systolic blood pressure by 11 mmHg and diastolic pressure by 3 mmHg, with an estimated 20% reduction in ASCVD risk. |
ASCVD, atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease; DASH, dietary approaches to stop hypertension.
Dietitian-led education can significantly improve outcomes, and individualized counseling tailored to educational level and comprehension has been shown to enhance adherence and reduce mortality and cardiovascular events. A single-center study reported that 65% of patients after a first acute myocardial infarction perceived that they adhered to prescribed dietary advice and demonstrated basic dietary knowledge; however, the proportion who maintained long-term consumption of cardioprotective foods such as vegetables, fruits, fish, and nuts remained suboptimal, indicating that adherence to cardioprotective dietary patterns could be further optimized. In addition, patients with higher educational attainment demonstrated greater nutritional knowledge and stronger adherence to recommended diets, underscoring the importance of tailoring nutritional counseling to the patients’ educational background and level of comprehension.14 In another single-center retrospective study, patients receiving daily dietary guidance from dietitians according to their ideal body weight showed significant improvements in all-cause mortality and the incidence of composite cardiovascular events compared with those who did not receive such guidance. These findings indicate that dietitian involvement can have a positive impact on post-myocardial infarction prognosis.15 To address potential logistical or economic barriers in resource-constrained settings, a stratified and resource-efficient approach to nutritional management is advocated. Intensive, in-person dietitian resources can be prioritized for patients with lower health literacy or higher clinical complexity to optimize resource allocation. Conversely, for patients with higher health literacy, mobile health (mHealth) technologies such as smartphone applications and remote monitoring tools can be used to provide ongoing dietary advice, reinforce self-management behaviors, and for longitudinal follow-up. This hybrid model can potentially help multidisciplinary nutritional care to remain more accessible and viable when staffing and costs are limited.
Regarding dietary supplements and vitamins, current guidelines do not recommend the routine use of any nutraceuticals for secondary prevention or as standard therapy after myocardial infarction.2,6,11 Evidence remains insufficient for agents such as red yeast rice, phytosterols, and soy protein, and the efficacy of omega-3 supplementation remains inconclusive. Similarly, over-the-counter products such as β-carotene and vitamins C, D, and E have not demonstrated a significant reduction in cardiovascular disease incidence.
Commonly used nutraceuticals and supplements include red yeast rice, phytosterols, dietary fiber, soy protein, and berberine. Red yeast rice, traditionally used as a food colorant and flavoring agent, contains monacolin, a bioactive compound that inhibits HMG-CoA reductase and thereby lowers serum cholesterol levels. However, the concentration of monacolin varies substantially across commercial products, making quality control difficult. Long-term safety data remain limited, and contamination with toxic by-products has been reported. One randomized trial in patients with ASCVD reported that purified red yeast rice extract reduced recurrent events by 45%.16 The daily administration of 2.5-10 mg of monacolin K has been associated with reductions in LDL-C, total cholesterol, and triglyceride levels,17 although it cannot substitute for pharmacologic therapy such as statins. Phytosterols naturally occur in plant oils and are composed mainly of sitosterol, campesterol and stigmasterol, and they also occur in vegetables, fruits, nuts, grains, and legumes. By competing with cholesterol for intestinal absorption, they have been shown to effectively reduce total cholesterol and LDL-C concentrations by approximately 7-12% when consumed at a dose of 2 g per day, with minimal effects on high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) or triglycerides.18 However, current evidence does not support a reduction in cardiovascular events. The cholesterol-lowering effect of soy protein is largely attributed to its isoflavone and phytoestrogen content, although these components are reduced during processing. Replacing animal protein with soy protein may modestly reduce LDL-C levels, however previous findings have been inconsistent. A meta-analysis suggested that berberine may further lower LDL-C and triglyceride levels compared with lifestyle interventions or placebo,19 although high-quality randomized controlled trials are still lacking to confirm its efficacy.
Recent meta-analyses have shown that curcumin supplementation modestly improved glycemic parameters, reducing glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) by 0.55% and fasting plasma glucose by 0.44 mmol/L. However, no significant changes in total cholesterol, LDL-C, HDL-C, or triglycerides were found, with substantial heterogeneity among studies. Furthermore, curcumin does not appear to significantly affect BP.20 Coenzyme Q10 supplementation may reduce all-cause mortality, although analyses across multiple cardiometabolic parameters including BP, lipid levels, and glucose have shown minimal metabolic impact.20 Overall, current evidence indicates that in patients with chronic coronary disease, the use of non-prescription nutraceuticals or supplements including omega-3 fatty acids, vitamins C, D, and E, β-carotene, and calcium provides no benefit in reducing the risk of acute cardiovascular events.2 Table 2 provides an overview of the effects of various supplements and vitamins on lipid metabolism and cardiovascular health.
Table 2. Effects of supplements and vitamins on lipid metabolism and cardiovascular health.
| Item | Source or major component | Mechanism and effects | Effects on LDL-C/TC | Effects on HDL-C/TG/BP/glucose | Evidence on cardiovascular events | Recommendation |
| n-3 PUFA (EPA + DHA) | Fish oil | Anti-inflammatory action | No significant effect | TG reduction; no significant change in HDL-C | 1 g/day associated with a 10-30% reduction in all-cause mortality and MACE | No additional protection when combined with vitamin E |
| Pure EPA (Icosapent ethyl) | Highly purified EPA formulation | Anti-inflammatory effect, plaque stabilization, TG reduction | No significant effect | TG reduction | In statin-treated patients with TG 150-499 mg/dL, reduces MACE and cardiovascular mortality | Appropriate for patients on maximally tolerated statin therapy |
| Red yeast rice | Contains monacolin (statin-like compound) | Inhibits HMG-CoA reductase, reduces cholesterol | 2.5-10 mg monacolin K daily lowers LDL-C, TC, and TG | Lowers TG | One RCT in ASCVD patients showed a 45% reduction in recurrent events | Insufficient long-term safety; variable content and potential contamination risk |
| Phytosterols | Sitosterol, campesterol, stigmasterol from plant oils, fruits, nuts | Competes with cholesterol absorption in intestine, reduces serum cholesterol | 2 g/day lowers TC and LDL-C by 7-12% | Minimal effect on HDL-C and TG | No evidence of reducing cardiovascular events | Mainly for dietary supplementation |
| Soy protein | Isoflavones, phytoestrogens | May modestly lower LDL-C; effect reduced by food processing | Slight LDL-C reduction | – | No evidence of reducing cardiovascular events | Substitute for animal protein sources |
| Berberine | Natural plant alkaloid | Improves lipid metabolism; meta-analyses show LDL-C and TG reduction superior to lifestyle intervention or placebo | Reduces LDL-C and TG | – | Lacks high-quality RCTs for outcome validation | Efficacy remains to be confirmed |
| Curcumin | Active component of turmeric | Improves glycemic control (HbA1c ↓ 0.55%, FPG ↓ 0.44 mmol/L) | No significant effect | No significant change in TC, LDL-C, HDL-C, or TG; no antihypertensive effect | Inconsistent results among studies | No evidence of cardiovascular protection |
| Coenzyme Q10 | Antioxidant; improves mitochondrial function, reduces oxidative stress | May lower all-cause mortality | No significant effect | No significant effect on BP, lipids, or glucose | Supported by few meta-analyses for reduced all-cause mortality | Not recommended as a replacement for pharmacologic therapy |
ASCVD, atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease; BP, blood pressure; DHA, docosahexaenoic acid; EPA, eicosapentaenoic acid; FPG, fasting plasma glucose; HbA1c, glycated hemoglobin; HDL-C, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol; HMG-CoA, 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A; LDL-C, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol; MACE, major adverse cardiovascular event; PUFA, polyunsaturated fatty acid; RCT, randomized controlled trial; TC, total cholesterol; TG, triglyceride.
According to the Cardiovascular Disease Prevention and Care Guidelines jointly published by the Health Promotion Administration of the Ministry of Health and Welfare, Cochrane Taiwan, and the Taiwan Society of Cardiology (TSOC), the Mediterranean dietary pattern is considered one of the most effective dietary models for reducing cardiovascular disease risk. The guidelines recommend that the general population should adopt elements of the Mediterranean diet in daily eating habits to prevent the development of cardiovascular disease. For patients with hypertension, the DASH diet is advised to improve BP control. As evidence linking specific types of nuts to cardiovascular risk reduction remains limited, the guidelines further recommend moderate nut consumption as part of a balanced diet, without specifying the optimal type or quantity.21
Excessive alcohol consumption increases serum triglyceride concentrations and may contribute to weight gain and elevated BP. Previous studies have demonstrated that reducing alcohol intake can lower both BP and cardiovascular risk.1,22 For individuals who already consume alcohol and have normal triglyceride levels, moderate alcohol intake, defined as no more than 10 g of alcohol per day for both men and women, is considered acceptable.11 However, the guidelines also state that individuals who do not currently drink should not begin consuming alcohol for any reason. Based on the U.S. definition, one standard drink contains approximately 14 g of pure alcohol. Heavy drinking, defined as more than 11-14 standard drinks per week for women or 15-21 for men, is discouraged, and excessive intake is strictly prohibited. Furthermore, because the prevalence of aldehyde dehydrogenase 2 deficiency and alcohol intolerance is the highest worldwide among the Taiwanese population, alcohol consumption confers an even greater risk of cardiovascular disease, cancer, stroke, and diabetes than in other populations. Therefore, cultivating drinking habits is strongly discouraged.21
PHARMACOTHERAPY AND PHARMACIST INVOLVEMENT
For patients with ACS, aggressive risk factor control and evidence-based pharmacotherapy are essential for improving long-term outcomes. According to data from the TSOC ACS-Diabetes Registry,23 patients who receive guideline-directed medical therapy and achieve higher levels of medication adherence have an approximately 40% lower risk of cardiovascular events.24,25 However, current evidence indicates that medication adherence remains suboptimal. In primary prevention, only about 50% of patients maintain long-term adherence to therapy, while in secondary prevention, the adherence rate is only around 66%.26 From the acute to the chronic phase, regular and comprehensive assessments of therapeutic goal attainment and adherence are critical. Multiple factors contribute to poor adherence and treatment persistence, including polypharmacy, complex prescription regimens, limited disease acceptance, impaired cognition, financial constraints, social isolation, and depressive symptoms.1
To address these barriers, additional strategies should be implemented to enhance adherence, such as adopting single-pill combination therapies and encouraging participation in patient education programs.27,28 Pharmacists play a pivotal role in this process. A randomized controlled study conducted in Taiwan demonstrated that continuous pharmacist-led counseling and follow-up after acute myocardial infarction improved patients’ understanding and adherence to medication regimens, resulting in better control of BP, lipids, and glycemia. In addition, compared with patients who received pharmacist interventions only during hospitalization, those in the continued-intervention group achieved significantly higher rates of target attainment for LDL-C and HbA1c.29 Recent studies have suggested that mHealth technologies such as smartphone applications and remote monitoring tools may further promote medication adherence.30 Nevertheless, larger and longer-term clinical trials are required to confirm these findings.
Pharmacists play a crucial role in patient education and periodic follow-up, helping patients clarify complex treatment regimens, enhance disease understanding, and improve the long-term management of BP, lipid levels, and glucose control through ongoing monitoring. With the advances in mHealth technologies, pharmacists can integrate mobile applications and digital monitoring systems to reinforce medication reminders and self-management behaviors, thereby further improving adherence and long-term outcomes in patients with ACS.
CARDIAC REHABILITATION
The clinical practice guidelines for ST-elevation myocardial infarction issued by the TSOC recommend the early initiation of cardiac rehabilitation (CR) during hospitalization to improve long-term outcomes, including patient education and early mobilization, followed by a comprehensive post-discharge rehabilitation program.25 CR is an evidence-based intervention that integrates patient education, behavioral modification, and exercise training, with the goal of enhancing secondary prevention in patients with cardiovascular disease.13 CR facilitates the adoption of healthy lifestyle habits, improves medication adherence, and assists patients in achieving secondary prevention targets. It also supports the management of comorbidities and enables monitoring for recurrent or new symptoms.
Patients and their caregivers should receive comprehensive care plans and educational information during hospitalization to ensure adherence to evidence-based CR programs. Currently, there are two predominant models of CR: center-based cardiac rehabilitation (CBCR), and home-based cardiac rehabilitation (HBCR). The traditional CBCR model is supervised by healthcare professionals and includes face-to-face exercise training, and it has demonstrated both safety and efficacy. Observational studies and randomized controlled trials have shown that CBCR can effectively reduce rehospitalization, recurrent cardiovascular events, and mortality.31 A meta-analysis of 60 randomized clinical trials compared CBCR, HBCR, and telerehabilitation, and found that only CBCR significantly reduced all-cause mortality compared with usual care.32 HBCR improves accessibility to rehabilitation by overcoming barriers commonly encountered in CBCR, such as transportation difficulties, time constraints, and the lack of nearby rehabilitation facilities. Systematic reviews have indicated that for patients with recent myocardial infarction or those undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting, HBCR provides comparable benefits to CBCR in improving quality of life and reducing healthcare costs.33 Notably, the 2023 update of the Cochrane systematic review and meta-analysis incorporated new trials involving over 3,000 participants, and found no significant difference between HBCR and CBCR in total mortality (relative risk 1.19; 95% confidence interval 0.65 to 2.16) or exercise capacity over short-term follow-up of up to 12 months.34 Furthermore, recent evidence from 2025 focusing specifically on patients with ACS indicated that HBCR demonstrated significant efficacy in enhancing health-related quality of life, showing comparable results to center-based programs across various metrics. Compared with standard care, the home-based model has been shown to lead to notable improvements in quality of life, HDL-C, and triglyceride levels. However, its influence on other parameters including peak VO2, LDL-C, and BP has not consistently reached statistical significance.35 With advances in wearable technologies, hybrid CR and telerehabilitation programs have emerged as potential strategies to facilitate long-term maintenance of healthy behaviors, and they may be able to substitute conventional CBCR to some degree.36 In addition, evidence indicates that participants in home-based models may achieve slightly higher rates of program completion (relative risk 1.04), which suggests potential advantages in therapeutic adherence. These observations support the ongoing transition toward home-based care, which is increasingly supplemented by digital technologies to facilitate consistent supervision and patient engagement.34 Telerehabilitation involves the use of wearable devices to provide post-discharge monitoring, guidance, and patient-clinician interaction, encompassing all core components of traditional CR, including telecoaching, social interaction, telemonitoring, and e-learning.37 Some studies have reported that in patients with coronary artery disease, telerehabilitation achieved comparable improvements in functional capacity and risk factor management to CBCR, although its effects on rehospitalization and mortality remain inconclusive.38 Whether telerehabilitation programs incorporating comprehensive exercise risk assessment and cardiopulmonary exercise testing to guide individualized exercise prescriptions can further reduce cardiovascular event rates and mortality compared with traditional CBCR requires further investigations. A comparative summary of CR models is presented in Table 3.
Table 3. Comparative summary of cardiac rehabilitation models.
| Category | Center-based cardiac rehabilitation (CBCR) | Home-based cardiac rehabilitation (HBCR) | Telerehabilitation |
| Main features | Facility-based, supervised exercise and education by healthcare professionals | Home exercise and lifestyle modification under prescribed guidance | Remote monitoring and coaching using wearable devices and online platforms |
| Clinical benefits | Reduces rehospitalization, cardiovascular events, and mortality | Improves quality of life and reduces cost; comparable outcomes to CBCR | Enhances functional recovery and risk factor control; improves accessibility |
| Limitations and challenges | Limited accessibility due to time and transportation barriers | Limited safety monitoring and long-term evidence | Inconsistent evidence on mortality and rehospitalization; further studies needed |
CONCLUSION
Although most evidence supporting lifestyle interventions and their impact on clinical outcomes originates from primary prevention studies, similar benefits have been consistently observed in secondary prevention settings. For patients recovering from ACS, long-term dietary and nutritional management remains an indispensable component of comprehensive care. From the pharmacotherapeutic perspective, pharmacists play a pivotal role through patient education and regular follow-up, enhancing adherence to treatment regimens and improving control of BP, lipid levels, and glycemia, thereby contributing to better long-term outcomes. CR, whether implemented as center-based, home-based, or telerehabilitation programs, promotes functional recovery and optimizes risk factor management. A Central Illustration is provided to visually synthesize the multidisciplinary team approach and core strategies for post-ACS care. Collectively, these multidisciplinary strategies facilitate recovery during the PAC phase and help patients return to daily life while improving long-term cardiovascular prognosis.
Central Illustration.
Integrated multidisciplinary PAC for ACS. The model emphasizes a patient-centered approach coordinated by a multidisciplinary team. The strategy focuses on three core pillars: nutritional management, pharmacotherapy, and cardiac rehabilitation. ACS, acute coronary syndrome; DASH, dietary approaches to stop hypertension; Inter, interventions; PAC, post-acute care.
DECLARATION OF CONFLICT OF INTEREST
All authors declare no conflicts of interest.
Acknowledgments
This consensus was funded by the Taiwan Myocardial Infarction Society (TAMIS). It was developed following thorough evaluation of current scientific and medical evidence available at the time of their issuance. The funding source had no role whatsoever in the formulation of the scientific content of this report. The contents of this article were drafted and finalized according to the expert opinions of the authors. The manuscript, upon submission for publication, was completed with the final approval of all authors.
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