So just what is Cardiac Rehab, who is it for and what does it offer? Cardiac Rehab teaches patients the benefits of exercise, and the importance of emotional and physical health and proper nutrition. It was designed for patients recovering from a cardiovascular event, such as a heart attack or surgery, to help them learn lifestyle changes that lead to a longer, healthier life.

Rehab is divided into 3 phases.

• Phase I is begun while the patient is still in the hospital after their heart event. Rehab staff will discuss the nature of the illness, the treatment, risk factor management, lifestyle changes, and activity guidelines.
• Phase II of our program is as an outpatient. It consists of sessions that last 6-12 weeks, 3 times weekly. This includes exercise lasting 45 minutes with education incorporated into each day for 30 minutes as well. We use varying materials you can use for endurance and resistance training, including free weights, treadmills, elliptical machines and exercise bands for some resistance training.
• Phase III is a lifetime maintenance program. We emphasize continuing with the methods learned in Phase II.

A physician can order Cardiac Rehab for patients with a range of cardiovascular diseases including:

• Heart Attack
• Mitral valve replacement
• Cardiac stent placement
• Aortic valve replacement
• Coronary balloon angioplasty
• Coronary artery bypass grafting
• Heart failure
• Heart transplant
• Stable angina pectoris

You don’t need to feel you are facing these changes alone. Rehab in the hospital setting includes doctors, nurses, nurse practitioners, pharmacists, exercise specialists, and dieticians to name a few. Here at Columbus Regional, our Cardiac Rehab Staff includes Katie Clark, RN; Jan Hatfield, RN; Kim Milligan, RN; Kristy Smith, RN and dietician Natalie Donner, collectively with more than 120 years of experience in cardiac rehab. 

Cardiac Rehab has been proven to be safe and effective in improving cardiovascular patients’ life quality and helping them to live longer healthier lives. If you have any questions, please feel free to discuss them with your physician.