What is Cardiac Rehabilitation?
Cardiac rehabilitation is a medically supervised program that is focused on lifestyle modification through means of education and exercise, tailored to meet the individuals’ needs.
There are four phases of cardiac rehabilitation; Advanced Cardiac Specialists offers three of the four cardiac rehabilitation phases.
Phase I: This phase begins while you are in the hospital. Your participation in phase I may include light activity within your room to walking around the hospital.
Phase II: This phase is a medically supervised outpatient program for people with heart disease who recently had a cardiac event or procedure. A physician refers patients to the rehab program. Phase II cardiac rehab is an insurance based program that incorporates regular exercise along with providing nutritional counseling, stress management, and smoking cessation. Each session lasts about an hour, encompassing warm-ups and cool-downs with about 20-60 minutes of aerobic exercise. The patients are monitored during exercise with ECG telemetry, oximetry and blood pressure. Exercise levels are adjusted regularly by exercise physiologist based on heart rate, rating of perceived exertion, patient’s level of comfort and physicians directions for safe progression.
Phase III and IV: These are maintenance phases. Phase III begins after graduating from phase II for those who would like to continue with their new active lifestyle. This can take place in a rehab facility where medical supervision can be offered. This is a self-pay program only costing you $2.50 a visit. Phase IV is long-term maintenance which can take place in a medically supervised facility, gym or at home. These phases are designated for continuing to carry out a healthy lifestyle to reduce cardiovascular risk factors.
Why participate in cardiac rehabilitation?
The benefits of cardiac rehab participation are as follows but not limited to:
- Promote a heart healthy lifestyle, including exercise, diet and stress management
- Reduce further complications from heart disease
- Optimize recovery time following an event
- Improve cardiovascular performance and overall heart function in patients with heart disease
- Reduce risk factors by educating each patient of their cardiac risk factors and develop realistic lifestyle modifications
- Restore confidence in patients’ physical and mental capabilities after cardiac events
Who is eligible for cardiac rehabilitation?
Cardiac rehabilitation is for patients who have recently been diagnosed with:
- Coronary artery bypass surgery
- Heart attack
- Percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) or stent
- Stable angina
- Heart valve surgery
- Heart transplant
- Congestive heart failure
- Pacemaker implantation
How do I get started?
After treatment for coronary artery disease and being discharged from the hospital phase II cardiac rehab is an option. A referral is needed from your physician to begin. This is a great way to modify your lifestyle to improve health and minimize your risk of future heart events. Ask your physician if you think this type of program is for you. For more information about Advanced Cardiac Specialists cardiac rehab programs, please call 480-892-2800.