Cardiac Rehabilitation

Cardiac rehabilitation is a customized program of exercise and education. Your doctors may recommend joining a cardiac rehab program to help you return to better health when you’ve had a heart attack or if you have certain other heart conditions. The goals of cardiac rehabilitation are to help you regain strength, to prevent your condition from worsening and to reduce your risk of future heart problems.

Cardiac rehabilitation has three main components:

• Medical evaluation. A thorough evaluation helps your health care team assess your physical abilities, medical limitations and other conditions you may have. This information is used to tailor a safe and effective cardiac rehabilitation program that meets your specific needs.
• Physical activity. Cardiac rehabilitation involves improving 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.
• Lifestyle education. Guidance about diet and nutrition helps you shed excess weight and learn to make healthier food choices aimed at reducing fat, sodium and cholesterol. You receive tips on breaking unhealthy habits, such as smoking. You also learn how to manage pain or fatigue that may accompany your heart condition.