The Top 5 Benefits of Cardiac Rehabilitation

Cardiac Rehabilitation is a program supervised by a medical professional to help patients with cardiac conditions or heart illness improve their heart health, feel better, and live longer. 

Cardiac Rehabilitation also prevents another, perhaps more severe, attack and helps the patient develop healthier habits.

Cardiac Rehabilitation includes the following activities:

• Physical Activity
• Education about healthy living (eating healthily, taking medicine as prescribed, and quitting smoking)
• Relieving stress and improving mental health through counseling

Benefits of Cardiac Rehabilitation

Strengthens the heart

Cardiac rehab helps the patient recover faster from a heart attack or surgery. The care team will create an individualized treatment plan involving aerobic and anaerobic exercises in a controlled environment. This will allow the heart to exert strength while ensuring it will not exceed its limits. Aerobic exercises involve walking, riding a stationary bike, or using a step trainer. The therapist will also assist the patient by using free weights, cable machines, and resistance bands to help strengthen the muscles.

Develop healthier habits

Part of the cardiac rehabilitation program is modifying unhealthy habits, including cigarette smoking and improper diet. With the help of cardiac rehab, the patient will learn healthy food alternatives, minimize sugar and salt intake, eat more vegetables, and understand the importance of taking vitamins, minerals, and fiber.

Cardiac rehab also involves therapies to help a patient stop the use of tobacco or cigarettes. When a patient ceases these unhealthy habits, they have lesser chances of developing heart conditions and other diseases in the future.

Increases the stamina

People who suffer from cardiac disease have lower stamina due to the heart’s reduced capacity. When a person enters cardiac rehab, they will regain heart strength that will allow them to accomplish more daily tasks, such as doing groceries, cleaning the house, going to work, etc.

Improves the mood and reduces depression

Patients with cardiac problems have lower moods due to their physical limitations. This prevents them from doing and enjoying the usual thing they love to do. Furthermore, the inability to perform a simple task can place a person in a negative mentality that can develop into depression.

With the help of cardiac rehabilitation, patients can gradually develop independence to perform the activities they enjoy. In addition, a healthy body promotes positive mental health, primarily when the person is constantly engaged in physical activities and a healthy diet.

Lowers the risk of another heart attack

According to the CDC, cardiac rehabilitation decreases the chance of death in the five years following a heart attack or bypass surgery by about 35%.

Physical activities and exercise burn calories and build muscle. When combined with lean proteins, fresh fruit and vegetables, and whole grains, you have a prescription for weight loss. Moreover, these activities reduce key heart diseases risk factors such as cholesterol and blood pressure.

Final thoughts

Cardiac rehabilitation is an essential program for those with cardiac conditions or heart disease. The program helps patients improve their heart health, preventing another attack and developing healthier habits. 

At Maplewood Sauk Prairie, we help cardiac patients get back on their feet through our individualized cardiac rehabilitation program. Contact us or visit our office to learn more about this program and how we can help you with your condition.

References:

https://www.cdc.gov/

https://www.templehealth.org/

https://takeheart.ahrq.gov/

https://www.mayoclinic.org/