Cardiac Rehabilitation

What Is Cardiac Rehabilitation?

Cardiac rehabilitation (rehab) is a medically supervised program that helps improve the health and well-being of people who have heart problems.

Rehab programs include exercise training, education on heart healthy living, and counseling to reduce stress and help you return to an active life.

Cardiac rehab helps people who have heart problems:

Recover after a heart attack or heart surgery.

Prevent future hospital stays, heart problems, and death related to heart problems.

Address risk factors that lead to coronary heart disease (also called coronary artery disease) and other heart problems. These risk factors include high blood pressure, high blood cholesterol, overweight or obesity, diabetes, smoking, lack of physical activity, and depression and other emotional health concerns.

Adopt healthy lifestyle changes. These changes may include a heart healthy diet, increased physical activity, and learning how to manage stress.

Improve their health and quality of life.

Each patient will have a program that's designed to meet his or her needs.

Cumberland Medical Center has been awarded Program Certification for its Cardiac Rehabilitation Program by the American Association of Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Rehabilitation (AACVPR). Certification recognizes those programs rigorously reviewed by a national board and found to meet the outlined essential requirements for standards of care.

Cardiac rehabilitation programs are designed to limit the physiological and psychological effects of cardiac illness; reduce the risk for sudden death or relapse; control cardiac symptoms; stabilize and/or improve the patient’s condition; and enhance the patient’s quality of life.

Cumberland Medical Center's Cardiac Rehabilitation program began in 1993. The Center provides structured programs individually designed to meet a patient’s given condition. The staff’s goal is to promote a safe and rapid return to optimal health for the patient. The Cardiac Rehabilitation Center programs operate within a philosophy of rehabilitation as an active partnership in recovery between the patient, the family, the physician, and the Center’s professional staff.

Our Cardiac Rehabilitation program is completely patient focused. We are like a family. We encourage one another, provide support, and celebrate the successes together.

The AACVPR is a national, multi-disciplinary association dedicated to the improvement of clinical practice, promotion of scientific inquiry, and advancement of education for the benefit of cardiovascular and pulmonary rehabilitation professionals and the patients they serve.

What Happens In A Rehabilitation Program?

Cardiac Rehabilitation can help you change your lifestyle habits. The program will take place at the hospital with a rehabilitation team and health care professionals.

During your rehabilitation program you will:

Exercise using a treadmill, bike, rowing machine or walk/jog track.
Be monitored by a nurse or another health care professional for a change in symptoms.
Start slowly, following a safe exercise program that gradually helps you to become stronger.
Gradually move into a more intensive program that lets you work longer and harder.
Possibly begin strength training if your doctor says you can.
Have your heart rate, blood pressure and EKG monitored.

After you have completed the program, you may feel better than ever. Make these lifestyle changes a part of your everyday life!

The Cardiac Rehabilitation Team

Cardiac rehab involves a long-term commitment from the patient and a team of health care providers.

The cardiac rehab team may include doctors (such as a family doctor, a heart specialist, and a surgeon), nurses, exercise specialists, physical and occupational therapists, dietitians or nutritionists, and psychologists or other mental health specialists. In some cases, a case manager will help track the patient's care.

Working with the team is an important part of cardiac rehab. The patient should share questions and concerns with the team. This will help the patient reach his or her goals.

Outlook

People of all ages can benefit from cardiac rehab. The lifestyle changes made during rehab have few risks. These changes can improve your overall health and prevent future heart problems and even death.

Exercise training as part of cardiac rehab may not be safe for all patients. For example, people who have very high blood pressure or severe heart disease may not be ready to exercise. These patients can still benefit from other parts of the cardiac rehab program. Ask your doctor whether cardiac rehab can help you prevent a future heart problem and improve your health.