Effect of Music-Based Interventions in Cardiac Rehabilitation: A Systematic Review.

OBJECTIVE: Cardiac rehabilitation (CR) is a multidisciplinary program that integrates supervised exercise, education, and lifestyle modification to support recovery. Music-based interventions have gained increased attention because of their potential therapeutic effects on psychological and functional outcomes. This review was conducted to evaluate the effects of music-based interventions in CR on psychological engagement, motivation, and functional outcomes in patients with cardiac conditions. DESIGN: A systematic search was initially conducted for articles published up to March 19, 2026, in PubMed, Embase, Scopus, the Cochrane Library, and Web of Science. Studies were included if they investigated the effects of music-based interventions in patients undergoing CR. RESULTS: Among 1061 identified articles, 731 were excluded after title and abstract screening. Of the remaining 15 full-text articles assessed, 9 studies evaluating music-based interventions in CR were ultimately included. These studies primarily reported improvements in psychological outcomes, motivation, exercise adherence, and functional performance, rather than direct cardiovascular outcomes. CONCLUSION: Current evidence suggests that music-based interventions may serve as supportive adjuncts to CR by improving psychological well-being, motivation, and adherence-related outcomes rather than directly affecting cardiovascular parameters. However, further high-quality studies with larger cohorts and objective outcome measures are needed to clarify their long-term clinical impact.