What is cardiac rehabilitation?
Cardiac rehabilitation is an important part of the recovery process for people who have had a heart attack or any cardiac event or procedure. Cardiac rehabilitation services provide you and your family with education, information, physical activity and social support, helping you make essential changes to your lifestyle so you can return to as normal a life as possible after a heart event.
Goals of a rehabilitation programme
The main goals of cardiac rehabilitation are:
- to prevent you suffering further cardiovascular events by helping you take control of your life
- to improve your quality of life.
'Cardiac' refers to the heart. 'Rehabilitation' means restoring you to good health.
Benefits of cardiac rehabilitation
Cardiac rehabilitation programmes can:
- reduce your chance of having another heart attack or cardiac event
- decrease complications
- increase your chance of survival
- improve quality of life for both you and your family/whanau
- improve your confidence.
Who is eligible for cardiac rehabilitation?
Cardiac rehabilitation can help anyone who has had a heart attack or any cardiac event or procedure, either recently or in the past, for example:
Your family members are also encouraged to participate with you throughout the cardiac rehabilitation process.
Stages in cardiac rehabilitation
There are three phases to your cardiac rehabilitation:
- Phase 1 - Inpatient rehabilitation: While you are in hospital you should receive information relevant to your heart event or procedure, a discharge plan and referral to attend a Phase 2 programme. You will also be given advice on lifestyle changes in order to reduce the risk of having another heart event.
- Phase 2 - Outpatient rehabilitation: After discharge from hospital, Phase 2 consists of a supervised programme of six to 12 weeks' duration. The programme involves:
-exercise (done at home and/or in a group)
-education on medication, risk factors, healthy eating
-helping you to return to normal daily living activities, including work and social support.
- Phase 3 - Long term maintenance: Phase 3 takes place in your local community in cardiac clubs (see below) which meet regularly, usually weekly. They encourage and support your lifestyle changes.
Ideally, you should take part in all three rehabilitation stages, but you can access the services at different times should you wish to.
Cardiac clubs offer long term support
Cardiac clubs give you, and your partner/family/whanau the chance to meet and talk to people who have gone through similar experiences. There are a large number of cardiac clubs throughout New Zealand and many of these are affiliated to the Heart Foundation.
Most clubs have physical activity programmes, invite guest speakers to talk about heart-health related issues as well as other general topics. All cardiac clubs try to promote a warm social atmosphere.
To find your nearest cardiac club: Contact the Heart Foundation - details under 'Further information and support' below. The Heart Foundation may also be able to provide you with information on additional rehabilitation programmes available and other programmes, eg, home-based services provided by Maori for Maori.
Original material provided by the Heart Foundation of New Zealand, August 2010. Edited by everybody, January 2011.
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