Cardiac Rehabilitation:
Building a better life after heart disease

 what is Cardiac Rehabilitation?

Cardiac rehabilitation is a customized program of exercise and education. Your doctors may recommend joining a cardiac rehab program to help you return to better health when you've had a heart attack or if you have certain other heart conditions. The goals of cardiac rehabilitation are to help you regain strength, to prevent your condition from worsening and to reduce your risk of future heart problems. And those can add up to a better quality of life.

 Cardiac Rehabilitation has four main components:

Medical evaluation. A thorough evaluation helps your health care team assess your physical abilities, medical limitations and other conditions you may have. Your team explores what risk factors you may have for cardiovascular disease such as stroke or high blood pressure. All of these findings help your team tailor a cardiac rehabilitation program to your individual situation, making sure it's safe and effective.

Physical activity. No longer is bed rest recommended if you have serious heart problems - it just won't improve your fitness. Cardiac rehabilitation improves your cardiovascular fitness through walking, cycling, rowing or even jogging and other endurance activities. You may also do strength training to increase your muscular fitness. Don't worry if you've never exercised before. Your cardiac rehabilitation team will make sure the program moves at a pace you're comfortable with.

Lifestyle education. Guidance about diet and nutrition helps you shed excess weight and learn to make healthier food choices aimed at reducing fat, sodium and cholesterol. You receive tips on breaking unhealthy habits, such as smoking. You also learn how to manage pain or fatigue that may accompany your heart condition. Cardiac rehabilitation also gives you ample opportunity to ask questions about such issues as medications and sexual activity.

Psychosocial support. Adjusting to a serious health problem often takes time. You may experience depression or anxiety, lose touch with your social support system, or have to stop working for several weeks. Counseling or vocational or occupational therapy shows you healthy ways to cope.

Get stronger and learn how to manage your condition, you'll likely return to a normal routine and enjoy life more.

 Who can benefit from cardiac rehabilitation?

 what will you do during cardiac rehabilitation?

Here's what to expect, in general, during cardiac rehabilitation:

Early recovery begins when you leave the hospital. It generally lasts from two to 12 weeks. During this phase, you gradually increase your activity level, usually under the close supervision of your cardiac rehabilitation team. Your team might suggest exercises you can safely do at home, such as walking and gentle calisthenics. You also learn about eating a healthy diet, quitting smoking, coping with your condition, resuming sexual activity and finding social support. If you don't have a nearby medical facility with a cardiac rehabilitation center on site, your team can advise you about safely using a gym.

One of the most valuable benefits of cardiac rehabilitation is often an improvement in your overall quality of life. You're likely to come out of your cardiac rehabilitation program feeling healthier and happier than before.