Aim. The aim of this study was to investigate percpectives of patients with cardiovascular disease about barriers and benefits of health promotion behaviors.

Background. Based on Pender’s health promotion model, certain emotional behaviors such as perceived benefits and barriers have effect on changing health behaviors.

Method. In a descriptive cross sectional study, 260 patients with cardiovascular disease were selected from exercise tolerant test ward of Shahriar social security hospital in 2009. In this study, sampling method was simple. Data were collected through interview.  The instruments included demographic form, Benefits Assessment Scale and Barriers Assessment Scale. The data were analyzed by using SPSS software and descriptive statistics, T-test, ANOVA and Pearson coefficient correlation.

Findings. The findings showed that mean score of perception of health promotion behaviors benefits was 41.14±3.82, and 83.7% of patients had high scores of perception about benefits of health promotion behaviors. There was statistically significant correlation of perception of benefits with education level (P=0.024) and job (P= 0.021). Mean score of perception of health promotion behaviors barriers was 26.81±6.31 and 66.3% of patients had moderate scores of perception about barriers of health promotion behaviors. Perception of barriers was significantly associated with gender (P=0.034) and marital status (P= 0.047).There was negative significant correlation between perception of benefits and perception of barriers (p=0.001).

Conclusion. Regarding the results of this study, seems that increasing perception of patients with cardiovascular disease about benefits of health promotion behaviors is associated with decreased barriers of health promotion behaviors. Educational interventions by professional nurses for patients with cardiovascular disease may help the patients to adherence to health promotion behaviors.