Last updated: November 15, 2025
This page was reviewed by the ERAS Cardiac Editorial Team and is provided for general education only. Always talk with your care team about your individual treatment plan and recovery needs.
Summary
Why is ERAS important?
Members of the ERAS Cardiac Society share their experiences and perspectives on how enhanced recovery is transforming heart surgery and improving recovery for patients.
Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) is an evidence-based care approach that helps patients heal faster, feel stronger, and return home sooner after heart surgery. It brings together your care team at every stage: before, during, and after your procedure, to improve safety, comfort, and recovery.
Enhanced recovery after cardiac surgery focuses on:
Using standardized, evidence-based best practices
Promoting collaboration across the entire healthcare team
Encouraging active patient engagement and participation
Reducing complications and supporting safer recovery
Improving outcomes and patient experience
Delivering cost-effective, high-quality care
Watch the videos below as ERAS Cardiac members describe why enhanced recovery matters for both patients and healthcare teams, and how this approach is changing the future of cardiac care.
This summary was developed with assistance from artificial intelligence and reviewed, edited, and approved by the ERAS Cardiac editorial team. Reference: OpenAI (2025). ChatGPT (November version) [Large language model]. https://chat.openai.com
ERAS Cardiac VEC Disclaimer
The Virtual Education Center (VEC) and all included content are provided for general education about enhanced recovery after cardiac surgery. The information has been reviewed by healthcare professionals but is not meant to replace medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Every patient’s situation is unique. Always talk with your own doctor or care team about what is best for you.
For questions or comments about the ERAS Cardiac VEC, please email admin@erascardiac.org.
Educational Materials
The Philosophy Behind ERAS Cardiac
Watch members of the ERAS Cardiac Society share why they believe ERAS is essential for improving patient care, recovery, and outcomes. This video provides an overview of the ERAS philosophy and its impact across specialties.
How ERAS Cardiac Helps Patients Recover
Hear from members of the ERAS Cardiac healthcare team as they explain how enhanced recovery helps patients heal faster, regain strength, and return home more safely after heart surgery.
References:
Engelman DT, Ben Ali W, Williams JB, Perrault LP, Reddy VS, Arora RC, Roselli EE, Khoynezhad A, Gerdisch M, Levy JH, Lobdell K, Fletcher N, Kirsch M, Nelson G, Engelman RM, Gregory AJ, Boyle EM. Guidelines for Perioperative Care in Cardiac Surgery: Enhanced Recovery After Surgery Society Recommendations. JAMA Surg. 2019 Aug 1;154(8):755-766. doi: 10.1001/jamasurg.2019.1153. PMID: 31054241.
Noss C, Prusinkiewicz C, Nelson G, Patel PA, Augoustides JG, Gregory AJ. Enhanced Recovery for Cardiac Surgery. J Cardiothorac Vasc Anesth. 2018 Dec;32(6):2760-2770. doi: 10.1053/j.jvca.2018.01.045. Epub 2018 Jan 31. PMID: 29503121.
Ljungqvist O, Scott M, Fearon KC. Enhanced Recovery After Surgery: A Review. JAMA Surg. 2017 Mar 1;152(3):292-298. doi: 10.1001/jamasurg.2016.4952. PMID: 28097305.
Gregory AJ, Noss CD, Chun R, Gysel M, Prusinkiewicz C, Webb N, Raymond M, Cogan J, Rousseau-Saine N, Lam W, van Rensburg G, Alli A, de Vasconcelos Papa F. Perioperative Optimization of the Cardiac Surgical Patient. Can J Cardiol. 2023 Apr;39(4):497-514. doi: 10.1016/j.cjca.2023.01.032. Epub 2023 Feb 4. PMID: 36746372.
