 |
 Cardiac
rehabilitation is an important part of today’s comprehensive care plan
for many patients with heart disease. Cardiac rehab has been shown to
reduce readmissions to the hospital, lessen the need for cardiac
medications, increase the likelihood of returning to work after a heart
attack, and even improve survival.
You are likely to be referred to a cardiac rehab program if you have or
had any of the following conditions: coronary artery disease, myocardial
infarction (heart attack), coronary artery bypass surgery, heart
transplant, coronary balloon angioplasty or surgery for a heart valve
problem.
Cardiac rehabilitation programs are tailored to each patient’s needs
but they all operate under these guiding principles:
- Counseling patients about their disease.
- Initiating an exercise program, which has been
shown to improve survival.
- Helping patients modify their risk factors for
heart disease, including high blood pressure, smoking, high serum
cholesterol, physical inactivity, obesity, and diabetes. Decreasing
these risk factors has also been shown to reduce the risk of another
heart attack, sudden death, and stroke.
- Providing vocational guidance to enable patients
to return to work.
- Lending emotional support and providing
psychosocial evaluation and counseling.
The long-term success of any cardiac rehab program is directly
related to the patients’ efforts. Most patients start programs
enthusiastically, but attendance drops to about 50% at one year. To try
to maintain compliance with a program, aim for a schedule that is
convenient for you and an exercise and dietary program that is
realistic. Aim also for group camaraderie—making new friends and
socializing is part of the healing process.
Source: American
Heart Association
If you have concerns about your heart or any aspect of your health, an
Alliance Primary Care physician
can help.
The heart hospitals of the Health Alliance -- The
Christ Hospital, The University Hospital and The Jewish Hospital are among the "Top
100 Cardiac Hospitals in the U.S." according to HCIA.
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