Patients who have had a heart attack, heart failure, stable angina, heart transplant, bypass surgery, valve replacement, angioplasty or stent implantation will benefit from cardiac rehabilitation. The goal of cardiac rehabilitation at Pawhuska Hospital is to help ease symptoms and make the heart as healthy as possible. A customized cardiac rehab program may include:
- an exercise program to improve fitness and heart function.
- classes to help change unhealthy lifestyle and habits. For example, a patient may take a smoking cessation class to help quit smoking or you may take a nutrition class to learn about a healthier diet.
- A stress management program to learn how to manage stress and decrease anxiety.
- counseling about a patient’s specific condition and how to live with it.
- occupational therapy to help the patient return to work and other daily tasks.
You may be helped by cardiac rehabilitation if you have certain heart conditions or if you have had certain heart procedures. These include:
- Stable angina, which is chest pain caused by disease in the arteries of your heart
- Heart attack, also known as myocardial infarction
- Heart failure
- Coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) surgery
- Heart valve repair or replacement
- Heart or heart-lung transplant
- Angioplasty with or without a stent
- Peripheral artery disease
You don’t need to face heart disease alone. Cardiac rehab is a team effort. That team includes the doctors, nurses, and therapists at Pawhuska Hospital, as well as your family and friends.
Together with your team it’s time to take charge of the choices, lifestyle and habits that affect your heart.
Here are the steps to take if you think cardiac rehab might help you.
- Ask your doctor if you are eligible for cardiac rehab.
- If you are eligible for cardiac rehab, register for the cardiac rehab program at Pawhuska Hospital.
- Work with your team to set some heart-health goals and create a cardiac rehab plan.
- Take an active role in your care to achieve your goals.
- Take your medicines correctly.
- Call 911 if you experience new or worsening symptoms.