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Cardiac Rehabilitation

Cardiac Rehabilitation2023-05-17T08:04:12-04:00

Getting back to enjoying the things you love after a heart attack or cardiac surgery can be difficult. With CentraState’s Cardiac Rehabilitation program, you don’t have to go through it alone. Return to the life you love with this supervised exercise program that also offers the support, education and resources to strengthen your heart health.

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Cardiac Rehabilitation Q&A

Cardiac rehab is designed for people who are looking to improve their heart health after heart conditions or cardiac surgery. You may benefit from cardiac rehab if you have any of the following:

  • Heart attack in the last 12 months
  • Heart condition, such as coronary artery disease (CAD), stable angina or heart failure
  • Peripheral artery disease
  • Heart procedure or surgery, including coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery, angioplasty and stenting, heart valve repair or replacement, pacemaker or implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD), heart transplant.

(Insurance coverage varies. Please check with your insurance carrier for requirements.)

CentraState’s cardiac rehab program provides the following to improve your physical and emotional health:

  1. Education and Support: Cardiac rehabilitation provides education about risk factors, nutrition, medications, physical activity, and recovery from surgery. We help you understand how to live with or overcome your condition and how to prepare for life at home after a cardiac surgery.
  2. Exercise Program: A supervised exercise program meets three times a week and is tailored to fit your individual needs. Exercise becomes more vigorous as your function improves, which also helps you gain confidence. The program usually lasts up to three months and incorporates walking, weight training, and other activities using equipment such as treadmills, stationary bikes, rowers, stair climbers, and arm ergometers. A physician referral is needed for participation.

Maintaining a Healthy Lifestyle after Cardiac Rehab

After completing CentraState’s Cardiac Rehabilitation Program, you can continue your cardiac rehabilitation journey with a supervised, progressive exercise plan at CentraState’s Fitness and Wellness Center. The center’s Cardiac Wellness Program, located on the Star and Barry Tobias Ambulatory Campus, allows you to safely continue your exercise regime with supervision by the center’s specialized personal trainers. Call 732-845-9400 or visit the CentraState Fitness and Wellness website to learn more.

Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD) Rehabilitation

CentraState’s peripheral artery disease exercise therapy program is designed to help people living with PAD improve their quality of life and reduce the risk of a cardiovascular event – without surgery.

Patients with PAD – a condition in which plaque builds up in the arteries – often suffer from extreme discomfort in the legs, making walking difficult and further complicating the effects of underlying heart disease. Left untreated, PAD can lead to disability and even leg amputations.

How Supervised Exercise Therapy for PAD Works

Conducted by a nurse, the customized program involves walking on a treadmill at a certain incline and speed until the patient develops mild discomfort, then taking a break until symptoms subside, then restarting. The benefits are significant, including improved exercise tolerance, more stamina, better quality of life and a reduced probability of having a cardiac event.

Patients meet with their therapist three times a week for 12 weeks, and usually advance from being able to perform 15-30 minutes of exercise per day to 50-60 minutes of exercise per day. Once the onsite program concludes, patients are encouraged to exercise on their own at home or a medically-supervised fitness center.

Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD) Q&A

Nearly 9 million Americans have PAD where plaque builds up in the arteries that carry blood to the head, limbs and organs. Plaque, which is made up of calcium, fat, fibrous tissue, cholesterol and other materials in the blood, can over time harden and narrow the arteries, limiting the flow of oxygen-rich blood to organs and other parts of the body.

PAD is caused by the same risk factors that cause cardiovascular disease, including smoking, followed by high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes.

First, you’ll need a formal diagnosis of peripheral artery disease from a referring physician, followed by a prescription. Diagnostic tests for PAD include an ankle-brachial index (ABI) test, which compares the blood pressure in your foot with the blood pressure in your arm; ultrasound, MRI or CT scan of legs; or an arteriogram, which provides a “road map” of your arteries, locating any blockages. After diagnosis, if your doctor says you are able to exercise and that it’s safe for you to do so, you may begin with a prescription.

The PAD exercise program is covered by Medicare. To determine if other insurance coverage is available, patients should contact their insurance companies for individual policy and plan details.

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