['Many patients fail to attend cardiac rehabilitation. Attempts to identify sociodemographic or clinical predictors of non-attendance have not been very successful; therfore, this study aimed to determine whether the illness beliefs held during hospitalisation by patients who had suffered acute myocardial infarction or who had undergone coronary artery bypass graft surgery could predict cardiac rehabilitation attendance.', '152 patients were prospectively studied of whom 41% had attended cardiac rehabilitation at six months.', 'In addition to being older, less aware of their cholesterol values, and less likely to be employed, non-attenders were less likely to believe their condition was controllable and that their lifestyle may have contributed to their illness.'] Do why patients attend cardiac rehabilitation : role of intentions and illness beliefs?