Coronary artery disease is one of the leading causes of death in the United States. The early decades of the nineteenth century witnessed small gains in the diagnosis and treatment of the coronary patient. The most remarkable advances in the management of coronary disease, however, have occurred over the last three decades. This article will review the evolution of cardiac rehabilitation as a formalized method of patient management and the emerging role of the physical therapist in providing a variety of health services to the coronary population.