Cardiac Rehabilitation

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Cardiac rehabilitation is a medically executed program to help you recover after a heart attack, from other forms of heart disease or after surgery to treat heart disease. Cardiac rehabilitation is often divided into phases that involve various levels of monitored exercise, nutritional counseling, emotional support, and support and education about lifestyle changes to reduce your risks of heart problems. Cardiac rehabilitation can do a lot to speed your recovery and reduce your chances of future heart problems.

Evaluation of Cardiac Rehabilitation

1. Initial and ongoing evaluation helps your health care team assess your physical abilities, medical limitations and other conditions you may have, and keep track of your progress over time. Your health care team explores your risk factors for cardiovascular diseases, stroke or high blood pressure.
2. Physical activity - 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.
3. Cardiac rehabilitation isn't appropriate for everyone, though, even if you have one of these conditions. Your health care team will thoroughly evaluate your health to make sure you're ready to start a cardiac rehabilitation program.

Phases of Cardiac Rehabiltation

Early recovery. This phase of cardiac rehabilitation begins when you leave the hospital and is often done in an outpatient setting; meaning you'll travel back and forth from your home to a rehabilitation facility for this portion of your recovery. 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.

1. The physical component should be adapted to meet the needs of older patients and those with signficant comorbidities.
2. The provision of transport to the service may need to be considered.
3. Patients should be offered mixed sex or single sex classes.
   It is important for patients health beliefs and basic level of health literacy to be established before lifestyle advice is offered.