Cardiac rehabilitation or cardiac rehab is a medically supervised program that helps patients recovers from heart attack.
The heart attack recovery process can be quite challenging. Traditionally, it involved rest and a healthy diet. While these actions are significant, an additional option has helped speed up patients’ heart attack recovery. Enter cardiac rehabilitation services.
Cardiac rehab, also known as cardiac rehabilitation or heart rehabilitation, is a medically supervised program that helps patients recover from heart attacks as well as improves the health and well-being of people who have heart problems. A rehabilitation program typically incorporates physical exercise training, education promoting heart-healthy living, and counseling focused on stress reduction and adopting a healthy lifestyle. Each patient receives a personalized program tailored to their specific needs.
A successful cardiac rehab program promotes optimal lifestyle changes and medical management to:
The cardiac rehabilitation aims to:
Cardiac rehabilitation programs benefit patients who have or are recovering from heart or vascular procedures.
The cardiac rehab program helps to promote the health and wellness of cardiac patients in the hospital and during recovery.
An important part of cardiac rehab is exercise or physical activity which makes the heart and the rest of the body stronger. Aside from this, cardiac rehab offers other benefits:
At The Medical City (TMC), cardiac rehab is a customized program of exercise and education managed by a multidisciplinary team composed of cardiologists, physiatrists, psychiatrists, nurses, physical therapists, dietitians, pharmacists, and other allied health workers. The cardiac rehab program at TMC is also known as CARES or Cardiac Rehabilitation & Secondary Prevention Program.
The goals of CARES are to help the patient regain strength, prevent his condition from getting worse as well as to reduce the risk of future heart problems. It goes without saying that TMC CARES add up to a better quality of life.
TMC CARES has 6 components: medical evaluation, nutritional counseling, risk factors, physical activity counseling, exercise training/testing, and psychosocial evaluation and support.
Prior to entering Phase II or III Cardiac Rehab programs, you will undergo an initial medical evaluation and history taking (intake process). Likewise, all medical and diagnostic procedures you underwent will be recorded and taken into consideration. If you underwent angioplasty or bypass surgery, the cardiac rehab fellow or consultant will take note of this. We also consider all your other medical problems.
This will aid us in making an individualized cardiac rehab program for you. You will be advised on four foundations:
Your activity is designed to help you recover from your recent cardiovascular event or procedure and to help you return to your daily activities, your job, and hobbies. Your program will be tailored to your personal needs, abilities, and interests.
Every session is under medical supervision and conducted by certified rehabilitation specialists and nurses. Cutting-edge monitoring equipment and a range of exercise devices are provided to ensure your safety and convenience.
Weekly patient and family education classes are provided. They include topics such as nutrition, risk factors for heart disease, cardiac anatomy, and the emotional challenges of heart disease. Individual education is also provided to help you optimize your quality of life and attain your goals.
The cardiac rehab program under TMC CARES has three stages: Phase 1 or In-hospital Phase, Phase 2, or Out-Patient Phase and Phase 3, or Out-Patient Maintenance.
For Phase I – you will be evaluated and assessed daily by the Cardiac Rehab doctor. Your exercise may be brief (initially 20-40 minutes) because you will/or are most likely still in bed recovering from a heart attack, bypass surgery, etc. Your exercises will progress day to day and may be longer thereafter.
For Phase II – after being discharged from the hospital (1 week), you will be interviewed and reassessed (intake process). Your doctor will determine, depending on your condition, what exercises are appropriate for you. Phase II is a 16-session program with a three-times-a-week schedule. (Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday). You will undergo two treadmill stress tests to measure your improvement, early and late in the program. Based on this, a progress report will be given to you and your attending physician. You will also attend a series of eight lay lectures.
For Phase III – 24 sessions of two to three times per week to help maintain and further improve your cardiovascular fitness and prepare you to either go back to work or resume your previous regular activities and exercises.
Participating in a Cardiac Rehab program requires a formal written referral from your physician or cardiologist. You are also required to attend the orientation facilitated by the Cardiac Rehab Staff.
The cardiac rehab team wants to provide the best possible care for each person enrolled in the program. A thorough medical history and evaluation will be done by the staff to come up with a customized program based on the four foundations of the individualized cardiac treatment plan. These are exercise, nutrition, education, and psychosocial aspects.
Absolutely! Cardiac rehabilitation has been scientifically proven to greatly enhance the quality of life for individuals with heart conditions. It not only aids in physical recovery but also provides invaluable emotional support and education on adopting a healthier lifestyle. The profound impact it has on mitigating the risk of future heart issues renders it an indispensable component of comprehensive cardiac care. Hence, investing time and effort into a cardiac rehabilitation program is undeniably worthwhile for those embarking on the path to heart health.
The effectiveness of our rehabilitation program in the Philippines is largely dependent on your cooperation and compliance. Attending the Cardiac Rehab sessions will decrease the risk of another cardiac event. But it may also take longer for you to experience the benefits if you have medical problems that may prevent you from attending the sessions (like severe arthritis, infection, strokes, etc.)
The Medical City Cardiovascular Center offers a comprehensive and specialized Cardiac Rehabilitation Program. We have a complete roster of competent and well-trained doctors and therapists to provide comprehensive and customized programs of exercise and education. The goals are to help you regain strength, prevent your condition from getting worse, and reduce your risk for future heart problems. These can add up to a better quality of life after a heart attack.