Lack of Cited Evidence Underpinning Recommendations for Objective Assessment of Cardiovascular Function to Inform Exercise Prescription: A Systematic Review.

Background: The effectiveness of exercise in managing cardiovascular (CV) health and function is well established. Less clear is the process for optimising the safety and efficacy of an intervention, particularly how objective assessments might inform this process.

Objective: The aim of this review was to investigate the cited evidence underpinning recommendations for assessing CV function to inform the safe and effective prescription of exercise in populations with established CV disease, as published in documents to guide practice authored by prominent organisations in cardiology and sports medicine.