How can cardiac rehabilitation help heal your heart?
Cardiac Rehab at VMH ... February is Heart Month. Cardiac Rehabilitation is key in healing your heart. Pictured above, at left, is JoAnn Bishop of Clermont, who recently had open heart surgery and a valve replacement. Cardiac Rehab Nurse Amy Rolfs is pictured above at right. After recovering at home for a few weeks following her surgery with the help of Veterans Memorial Community and Home Care services, JoAnn Bishop began to attend the hospital’s Cardiac Rehab program. She states, “It is definitely helping me get stronger and it is very convenient. It also helps cardiac patients from getting depressed. It’s a great opportunity to talk to the staff and be reassured that what we are feeling is normal and just a part of our recovery.” Submitted photo.
by Amy Rolfs, RN, VMH Cardiac Rehab Supervisor
If you have a heart attack or other heart problem, cardiac rehabilitation is an important part of your recovery. Cardiac rehabilitation can help prevent another, perhaps more serious, heart attack and can help you build heart-healthy habits. About 800,000 people in the United States have a heart attack every year. About one in four of those people already had a heart attack. Cardiac rehabilitation not only can help a person recover from a heart problem but can also prevent future heart problems.
What is cardiac rehabilitation?
Cardiac rehabilitation is an important program for anyone recovering from a heart attack, heart failure, or other heart problem that required surgery or medical care. Cardiac rehabilitation is a supervised program that includes:
• Physical activity.
• Education about healthy living, including how to eat healthy, take medicine as prescribed, and quit smoking.
• Counseling to find ways to relieve stress and improve mental health.
Who needs cardiac rehabilitation?
Anyone who has had a heart problem, such as a heart attack, heart failure, or heart surgery, can benefit from cardiac rehabilitation. Studies have found that cardiac rehabilitation helps men and women, people of all ages, and people with mild, moderate, and severe heart problems.
How does cardiac rehabilitation help?
Cardiac rehabilitation can have many health benefits in both the short and long term, including:
• Strengthening your heart and body after a heart attack.
• Relieving symptoms of heart problems, such as chest pain.
• Building healthier habits such as getting more physical activity, quitting smoking, and eating a heart-healthy diet. A nutritionist or dietitian may work with you to help you limit foods with unhealthy fats and eat more fruits and vegetables that are high in vitamins, minerals, and fiber.
• Reducing stress.
• Improving your mood. People are more likely to feel depressed after a heart attack. Cardiac rehabilitation can help prevent or lessen depression.
• Increasing your energy and strength to make daily activities like carrying groceries and climbing stairs easier.
• Making you more likely to take your prescribed medicines that help lower your risk for future heart problems.
• Preventing future illness and death from heart disease. Studies have found that cardiac rehabilitation decreases the chance that you will die in the five years following a heart attack or bypass surgery by about 35%.
JoAnn Bishop of Clermont is currently attending the Cardiac Rehab program at Veterans Memorial Hospital following open heart surgery and valve replacement in December. “I was referred to this program by Unity Point in Waterloo where I had my surgery. Physical therapy and home health came to my home for the first month following and now I am attending this outpatient program,” explains JoAnn. “It is definitely helping me get stronger and it is very convenient. It also helps cardiac patients from getting depressed. It’s a great opportunity to talk to the staff and be reassured that what we are feeling is normal and just a part of our recovery. My advice to everyone is to be sure to follow your schedule and attend regular doctor appointments.”
Where can I get cardiac rehabilitation?
Veterans Memorial Hospital offers a Phase II cardiac rehab program. Our program consists of up to 36 monitored and supervised exercise sessions. These sessions also include evaluating your individual educational and counseling needs to help you with your recovery and improving your heart health. Talk to your healthcare provider if you are interested in more information about Cardiac Rehab.
