The Cardiac Rehabilitation Clinic, certified by the American Association of Cardiovascular & Pulmonary Rehabilitation (AACVPR), provides comprehensive care for cardiac patients by modifying risk factors and establishing a regular exercise program. The program is designed to help individuals who have had a heart attack, surgery, stable angina symptoms, or have been diagnosed as having coronary artery disease.  

Benefits of Cardiac Rehabilitation

• Substantial improvements in the patient's cardiovascular system, including:
• Improvement in symptoms
• Improvement in blood lipid levels
• Increased work capacity and exercise tolerance
• Decreased heart rate during exercise and at rest
• Decreased blood pressure during exercise and at rest
• Decreased myocardial oxygen consumption
• Improved psychological well-being
• An understanding of one's abilities and limitations
• Modification of risk factors - smoking, diabetes, elevated cholesterol, and weight control.

Any patient admitted to the hospital with cardiovascular disease is a candidate for cardiac rehabilitation. The service begins with a referral from the patient's attending physician.

Phases of Cardiac Rehab:

Phase 1 (Inpatient): A nurse assesses the patient and presents a brief outline of a graded activity program, which is implemented and followed until discharge from the hospital. Patients and family members are given information on cardiovascular disease, risk factors, diet, medication, and guidelines for home activities. The patient is given a walking exercise program upon being released from the hospital and is evaluated for participation in the outpatient program.

Phase 2 (Outpatient): Outpatient rehabilitation will continue the principles of exercise and lifestyle modification through an individual program designed by the cardiologist/physician and the cardiac rehabilitation staff. The patient performs a multistage stress test on a bicycle, arm ergometer, or treadmill to determine an exercise prescription. After the initial stress test, other tests are scheduled at specific intervals to evaluate progress and revise the prescription.

For the first 6 weeks, the patient comes to the clinic three times a week. Once progress is made, the routine is adjusted to exercising both at home and in the clinic over 12 weeks. Eventually, the patient will exercise at home with a 6 month and a yearly follow-up.

The outpatient program also offers classes in diet, medication, smoking cessation, relaxation and stress management for patients and family members.

Phase 3 (Outpatient): This is a supervised maintenance program that allows patients to continue exercising within the facilities. It provides group support and allows for maintenance of a person's aerobic exercise.