When a heart attack arises, people may have to undergo Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery (Bypass) or Angioplasty (Stent) or few with low pumping have to be on medicines. People, who undergo surgery, have lot of complications and emotional distress. Few have emotional problems like –anger, anxiety, loss of confidence, difficulty in returning to work, sleeping problems etc. or complications like any infection, difficulty in breathing, Pneumonia, persisting chest pain, developing a blood clot that could affect the lungs, chronic pain at breastbone-wound site, affected memory and difficulty with cognitive function and thinking etc.

All this has a solution: CRP – Cardiac Rehabilitation Program.

Cardiac rehab is structured exercise program that can help you increase your physical activity level while under the direct supervision of medical professionals. The program also includes work with cardiac rehab therapists, dieticians, physicians, yoga therapists, psychologists, and other healthcare providers who can help you recover from your surgery and feel confident that you have the skills to adopt a heart-healthy lifestyle. 

Recent research and my experience in this cardiac rehab field have found that patients who complete cardiac rehab are more likely to be alive five years more than expected after a heart event than those who do not.

Who Requires Cardiac Rehabilitation?

Those who have undergone the following:

  • Heart Attack
  • Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery or Angioplasty
  • Heart failure
  • Heart valve Replacement
  • Other heart condition (i.e. Stable  Angina, pacemaker)
  • Other vascular conditions (i.e. stroke,peripheral vascular disease)
  • Who wants to control Diabetes and High Blood Pressure.
  • Two Or More Documented Classical Risk Factors For Coronary Heart Disease

What are the benefits of attending a supervised Cardiac Rehab program?

  • Regular physical activity helps your heart and the rest of your body get stronger and work better. Physical activity improves your energy level and lifts your spirits. It also reduces your chances of future heart problems, including heart attack.
  • Counseling and education can help you quit smoking, eat right, lose weight, and lower your blood pressure and cholesterol levels. Counseling may also help you learn to manage stress and to feel better about your health.
  • You have the advice and close supervision of healthcare professionals to help you improve your health and lower your risk of future problems. These professionals can also-communicate with your primary care doctor or cardiologist.

Goal is to help heart patients regain good health, so that they may return to work, recreational activities and the tasks of daily living, if possible.

What happens during the program?

Program starts with your assessment which consists of:

  • a medical and family history questionnaire that helps us identify your heart risk factors
  • a resting electrocardiogram
  •  body composition measurements (height, weight,waist size, body fat)
  •  a cardiopulmonary exercise assessment (on a treadmill, stationary bike or-monitored walking adapted to suit your abilities).

The patient exercises using portable heart monitoring equipment. With the help of this special equipment, the ECG is continuously transmitted to the monitoring station while the person is exercising. This ensures that the optimal amount of exercise is performed in the safest manner possible.

An individualized program of lifestyle modification, including nutrition, stress reduction and counseling is planned for the patient.

What kind of exercise will I be doing?

You will be using your larger muscle groups of the arms and legs to gain more endurance and strength. This is called aerobic exercise. We’ll select a special group of exercises on machines that best suit your needs. You may exercise on treadmills,bicycles, or use free weights and stretching bands.

I’m exercising at home. Why should I come to Cardiac Rehab?

You will be connected to an ECG monitor while you exercise, so your heart rate and rhythms are closely watched. Your blood pressure and work load are also tracked. You will be closely supervised and any concerns about your body’s response to exercise, or to your medications will be relayed by our staff to your doctors.We also help you learn what you can do to decrease your risk of a future heart problem.

How can I tell, if I am exercising right or not?

At rehab, therapist calculates your target heart rate, heart rate reserve which is your exercising zone. If you don’t reach to those target heart rates, then all your activity is just a physical activity and not an exercise. Basically, Aim is to exercise so that your heart rate goes up and you are slightly out of breath. You should still be able to talk. You should not feel exhausted. Slowdown or take a shorter walk if you find that you are uncomfortable and out of breath.

How long will I have to attend Cardiac Rehab?

Most people come 3 times a week for 6-12 weeks. The length of the program is based on your own rate of progress. For long term benefits and fitness, people continue lifelong as well.

But exercising under the watchful eyes of your health care team through a CARDIAC REHABILITATION program will be the ticket to survival and a better quality of life.


For further-details: email: dr.mitshu@gmail.com, Contact number: 09892156355