What Does Cardiac Rehab Involve? Your Complete Guide
Do you have heart disease? Maybe you are a heart attack survivor. Or perhaps your cardiologist is concerned over another heart condition you may have.
In situations such as these, it’s important to get the right kind of cardiac care. This usually involves extensive cardiac rehabilitation.
But cardiac care is about much more than developing an exercise program or walking on a treadmill. It’s about establishing a way of life that will help your heart and keep you from developing more serious problems.
You can learn more about the CMC heart center in this article, where we’ll explore the different facets of cardiac care rehab.
What Does Cardiac Care and Cardiac Rehab Involve?
According to the Centers for Disease Control, each year, 800,000 Americans have a heart attack. However, what you may find even more surprising is that 1 in 4 of those have already had one heart attack.
The activities you’ll do during cardiac rehab will help you avoid a heart attack. If you’ve already had one, it can dramatically reduce the chances of having a second one.
Cardiac rehab involves:
- Establishing an effective exercise routine
- Counseling to relieve stress and help mental health
- Physical activity sessions
- Education about medications and nutrition
- Assistance to stop smoking (if you smoke)
We tailor your program designed around your abilities and interests.
Who Is a Part of the Cardiac Rehab Team?
We don’t expect you to go it alone! We know it can be stressful to learn you have heart disease. Having a heart attack can be traumatic.
That’s why we’ve assembled a team of outstanding professionals to help you. Members of your cardiac care rehab team include:
- Your cardiologist
- Exercise specialists
- Nutritionists
- Counselors
- Registered nurses
What Are the Benefits of Cardiac Rehab?
There are several ways you can benefit from cardiac rehab. We’ve listed a few of them below:
- Lower cholesterol and lower blood pressure
- A stronger heart and body
- Reduced stress
- Better blood sugar control
- More energy
- Making daily activities—such as climbing stairs—much easier
- Improved mood
- A more nutritious diet
- Understanding your medications and how to take them properly
The Centers for Disease Control state that attending cardiac rehabilitation decreases the chance of dying in the next 5 years by 35% following a heart attack or bypass surgery. AHA studies show that after 36 sessions of cardiac rehabilitation, the risk of death was lowered to 47%, and the risk of another heart attack decreased by 31%.”
What Kind of Exercise Will I Do at Cardiac Rehab?
When you have a heart condition, exercise is important. Your heart is a muscle, and a good workout can strengthen it. However, you have to be careful—certain exercises may be too strenuous.
That’s why cardiac rehab has trained and exercise specialists who will develop workouts that are appropriate for your condition. There are a variety of exercises you may perform.
These can include:
- Walking on a treadmill
- Using a stationary or recumbent bike
- Using a rowing machine
- Working out on a seated elliptical machine
- Appropriate weight lifting for strength training
How Often Do You Go to Cardiac Rehab?
This will vary depending upon your individual situation, but in general, patients will go to cardiac rehab three days a week over the course of three months. Exercise sessions can last from 45 minutes to an hour.
We Answer Some of Your Most Common Questions
Would you like to know more details about cardiac care and cardiac rehabilitation? You can get your answers and learn more about the CMC heart center by visiting the web page for our Cardiac Rehab Program.
Learn More About the CMC Heart Center
At the CMC Heart Center, we offer an extensive variety of services geared toward helping your heart health.
Our Heart Center features the Philips Medical Systems Brilliance 64-slice CT Scanner. This sophisticated scanner needs only five heartbeats to reveal detailed information about your health. This allows our cardiologists the ability to discover the warning signs of heart disease earlier than we ever have before.
We also offer:
We work with the region’s leading fellowship-trained cardiologists who are ready to help you.
Speak to your primary care physician about a referral to the CMC Heart Center to experience our state-of-the-art technology coupled with compassionate care.
