How Cardiac Rehabilitation Can Help Heal Your Heart

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After a cardiac event, such as a heart attack or heart surgery, many people are afraid to exercise or be active. They may not know how to do so safely and so avoid it altogether. But exercise is important for strengthening the heart and reducing the risk of future heart problems. The best way to learn how to take care of your heart following a cardiac event is to participate in cardiac rehabilitation. 

Cardiac rehab is a medically supervised program designed to improve your cardiovascular health. It involves a combination of exercise, nutritional counseling, and education about living a heart-healthy lifestyle. Cardiac rehab can benefit anyone with heart problems, and is typically referred for patients who have suffered a heart attack, undergone heart surgery, or have a heart condition. A cardiac rehabilitation program can be short-term or long-term, inpatient or outpatient, depending on the health needs of the individual.  

How does cardiac rehabilitation help? 

The main goal of cardiac rehab is to improve cardiovascular health and reduce the risk of future heart problems, but the benefits are far-reaching. Cardiac rehabilitation helps:

  • Increase your heart’s functional capacity

Exercise is a key component of cardiac rehab. It helps your heart to become more efficient, which allows it to do more with less effort. 

  • Aid recovery

Cardiac rehab helps to strengthen the heart and body in the aftermath of a heart attack or heart surgery. 

  • Improve fitness

As you increase heart strength and muscle strength, your overall fitness improves, making it easier to carry out day-to-day activities and participate in an active lifestyle. 

  • Relieve painful symptoms

When the heart doesn’t receive enough blood flow, it can result in chest pains and tightness.  As cardiac rehab strengthens the heart and improves blood flow, it eliminates or minimizes these painful symptoms. 

  • Build healthier habits

Education is another important component of cardiac rehab. It typically includes nutritional counseling, stress management strategies, and other information that helps you incorporate heart-healthy habits into your everyday life. 

  • Reduce risk factors

The exercise, healthy habits, and stress reduction involved in cardiac rehab programs help to decrease the risk of stroke, heart attack, and worsening heart failure symptoms. 

  • Improve mental health

By making the body stronger and healthier, exercise and proper nutrition enhances your ability to manage stress. It also helps to prevent symptoms of anxiety and depression that can sometimes develop after a cardiac event. 

  • Maximize quality of life

With lower stress levels, improved fitness, better health, and fewer painful symptoms, you’ll have more energy to do the things you love to do.  This leads to a higher quality of life. 

Making lifestyle changes to support your heart may not be easy to do on your own, but when you participate in a quality cardiac rehabilitation program, you get the support you need to optimize your heart health and reduce the risk of future heart problems. 

Cardiac rehab in San Diego

At Bella Vista Health Center, we offer both inpatient and outpatient care for patients in need of cardiac rehabilitation. Our team of skilled and compassionate providers is committed to providing every patient who comes through our door with quality care designed to help them recover quickly and maximize their independence and quality of life. For more information on our cardiac rehab program or any of our other services, please give us a call at 619-644-1000 today.