Importance of Cardiac Rehabilitation Program for Heart Patients

A healthy heart ensures a healthy and active life. A hospital’s cardiac rehabilitation program serves the needs of heart patients to exercise safely, and maintain a heart-healthy life style. As part of the cardiac rehabilitation heart patients are provided tailored-exercises, education, guidance on quitting smoking and change of diet, and emotional support.

Patients with a record of cardiovascular diseases, those who had recent cardiac event, such as heart attack or heart failure, those who had undergone cardiac procedure such as angioplasty or heart surgery and those suffering from arrhythmia (abnormal heart rhythm) or an implantable device (pacemaker or defibrillator) are eligible for cardiac rehabilitation.

It helps patients to carry out daily activities – walking, working etc, reduces the risk of recurrence of heart diseases, and improves the patients’ quality of life. These programs are usually multi-disciplinary, and invite the coordinated and collaborative efforts of doctors, nurses, physiotherapists, psychologists and dieticians.

Each cardiac rehabilitation program takes into account the patient’s personal preferences and personal constraints. Certain guidelines are mandatory while availing cardiac rehabilitation programs

1. Doctor’s advice and referral are required before the patient goes for these programs.

2. It should have a proper reporting mechanism whereby the patient’s progress is reported to the concerned doctor from time to time.

3. Patients are to undergo the doctor-supervised stress test, before going for this program.

4. Not only the patient but also his family need to be counselled of the heart diseases, its impact on them, and the good effects of undergoing this program.

5. It is never the same for all patients. It has to be customized as per the patient’s health condition and proper diagnosis of the heart disease.

6. Trained and certified cardiac rehabilitation staff should facilitate the program.

7. The duration of the program, fee and insurance coverage are to be clearly defined.

It is mostly advised for patients who suffer from some form of cardiac risk. A planned cardiac rehabilitation program helps in achieving a level of health that may even be better than life before heart disease has occurred.

It offers remarkable benefits to patients suffering from heart diseases.

1. Improves the patient’s exercise capacity.

2. Helps in lowering of lipid levels, body weight, blood pressure, blood glucose.

3. Reduces the progression of atherosclerosis.

4. Helps in the reduction of depression, anxiety, and stress.

Notably, This program helps patients to acquire and maintain functional independence. By the end of this program, each patient achieves enhanced, active and enriched life.