What is Cardiac Rehabilitation?

What does cardiac rehab involve?

Cardiac rehabilitation doesn’t change your past, but it can help you improve your heart’s future.

Cardiac rehab is a medically supervised program designed to improve your cardiovascular health if you have experienced heart attack, heart failure, angioplasty or heart surgery. Cardiac rehab has three equally important parts:

• Exercise counseling and training: Exercise gets your heart pumping and your entire cardiovascular system working. You’ll learn how to get your body moving in ways that promote heart health.
• Education for heart-healthy living: A key element of cardiac rehab is educating yourself: How can you manage your risk factors? Quit smoking? Make heart-healthy nutrition choices?
• Counseling to reduce stress: Stress hurts your heart. This part of cardiac rehab helps you identify and tackle everyday sources of stress.

Cardiac rehab is a team effort

You don’t need to face heart disease alone. Cardiac rehab is a team effort.

You’ll partner with doctors, nurses, pharmacists – plus family and friends – to take charge of the choices, lifestyle and habits that affect your heart.

Getting started

Here’s how to get going and make the most of cardiac rehab:

• Ask your doctor if you are eligible.
• If you are, register for a cardiac rehab program.
• In consultation with your medical team, set goals for your heart health.
• Work together to create a cardiac rehab plan.
• Take an active role in your care to achieve your goals.
• Keep taking your medicines correctly.
• Call 911 if you experience new or worsening symptoms.