What is cardiac rehab?
Cardiac rehabilitation (rehab) is a program designed to help improve your overall health by identifying and reducing the risk factors that lead to cardiovascular disease. The program includes medical treatment and healthy lifestyle changes.
A cardiac rehab program generally includes:
- Exercise program - depending on your needs, the program can be structured with supervision or more independent.
- Nutrition counseling - either one-on-one or group sessions.
- Information about lifestyle changes and disease management.
- Emotional support - can be individual, group sessions or peer support.
The type of cardiac rehab program that works best for you may be different than other people you may know.
Your program should be designed to meet your specific needs and meet the following goals:
- Improve your ability to do everyday activities (increase functional capacity).
- Reduce your risk of future heart problems.
- Improve your quality of life.
- Improve your outlook and emotional well-being.
- Help you learn more about your health problems and improve your ability to help manage your care.
Who should participate in cardiac rehab?
Cardiac rehab benefits people with:
- Cardiovascular disease.
- A past cardiac event, such as a heart attack.
- A past cardiac procedure, such as angioplasty, stent or heart surgery.
- Congestive heart failure.
- Abnormal heart rhythm (arrhythmia) or who have a pacemaker or defibrillator.
- Chronic angina.
How do I know which cardiac rehab to choose?
When choosing a cardiac rehab program, you should look for a program that includes healthcare providers from different specialties (multidisciplinary). The best programs include a mix of doctors, nurses, exercise physiologists, psychologists and registered dietitians. These team members may not all have offices where the cardiac rehab program is, but all team members should be in direct contact with the program staff. Having this type of team helps you get the best care possible to meet your individual needs.
Here are some questions to ask when you are choosing a cardiac rehab program:
Do I need a doctor's referral to join the program? Because cardiac rehab is a type of medical treatment, a doctor’s referral should be needed.
Will my doctor get regular reports from the program staff? The program staff should send progress updates to the doctor who referred you.
Do I need to have a doctor-supervised stress test before entering the program? This is important to see if taking part in the program could put you at risk of having health The results of the test also help the staff create a program that best meets your needs.
Does the program offer education and counseling for my family? Coronary disease affects the whole family. Learning more and getting expert advice as needed can be very helpful for everyone.
Will my program be specially designed for me? The staff should create a program that includes goals based on your individual risks and needs.
Will a doctor supervise me when I exercise? A doctor must be in the immediate area or have direct contact with the program staff. Find out who supervises your exercise sessions.
What are the risks and benefits of the program? A staff member should go over this information with you before you start the program and answer any questions you may have.
Are the staff specially trained and/or certified in cardiac rehabilitation? Check to see if the person who is setting up your program is certified in their specialty.
Is the program certified by the American Association of Cardiovascular & Pulmonary Rehabilitation? If a program is certified, it means it has met high standards for its individual treatment plans, communication with doctors, measurement of outcomes and commitment to ongoing quality.
Are all staff currently certified in CPR? There are standard certifications in this All staff should, at a minimum, be certified in basic cardiac life support. At least one person with advanced cardiac life support certification should be at each session.
Can I review the program’s emergency procedures? The program should have an emergency policy that can be shared with you.
Are emergency equipment and supplies readily available? These items should be easily accessible in case they are needed.
How much does the program cost, and how much will my insurance cover? You should be made aware of how much the program costs and what type of coverage your insurance company offers.
