Summary of the best evidence for dyadic disease management in patients who have undergone coronary stenting and their family caregivers

OBJECTIVE: To systematically synthesize the best available evidence on dyadic disease management for patients and their family caregivers following coronary stent implantation and to develop actionable evidence-based recommendations for clinical practice. METHODS: This evidence summary used the 6S evidence pyramid to guide the prioritization and retrieval of evidence sources. Chinese and international databases and relevant professional society websites were systematically searched from inception to February 28, 2026, using terms related to percutaneous coronary intervention/coronary stenting, caregivers/dyadic care, and self-management/disease management/cardiac rehabilitation. Two reviewers independently screened eligible evidence sources, assessed methodological quality using design-appropriate appraisal tools, and extracted and synthesized the evidence. RESULTS: A total of 18 evidence sources were included, comprising 4 guidelines, 4 expert consensus statements, 2 systematic reviews, 1 evidence summary, 3 randomized controlled trials, and 4 quasi-experimental studies. Evidence synthesis yielded 27 evidence-based recommendations across five domains: assessment and planning, education and decision-making, self-management and rehabilitation, psychosocial support, and continuity of care. Key recommendations emphasized dyadic assessment of patient and caregiver needs, psychological status, caregiver burden, and readiness for collaboration; joint education and shared decision-making; caregiver-supported medication management, lifestyle modification, rehabilitation, symptom monitoring, and emergency response; psychosocial support for both members of the dyad; and coordinated discharge transition and follow-up. CONCLUSION: The synthesized evidence integrates previously dispersed caregiver-related findings into a structured, consent-based dyadic management pathway for post-stenting care. Clinicians should identify and assess the caregiver selected by the patient, clarify collaborative roles and goals, provide joint education and targeted skills training, and integrate caregiver support into self-management, rehabilitation, psychosocial care, discharge transition, and follow-up. This pathway offers a practical approach to incorporating caregiver participation into post-stenting secondary prevention while preserving patient autonomy and addressing the needs of both members of the dyad.