Cardiac Rehabilitation

What is cardiac rehabilitation?

Cardiac rehabilitation is a holistic program designed to help you recover from a heart attack, heart surgery or heart disease. This medically supervised program lasts three months and focuses on activities and education encouraging a healthy lifestyle. If you've had a heart attack or heart surgery, your rehabilitation will begin during your hospitalization. This is the first of four progressive cardiac rehabilitation phases — acute, initial outpatient monitoring, intensive outpatient rehabilitation and maintenance — as you return to more normal activities. The three-month cardiac rehabilitation program will help you:   

• Strengthen your heart  
• Lower blood pressure and cholesterol 
• Maintain a healthy weight 
• Increase bone density 
• Control diabetes 

5 ways cardiac rehabilitation can help you 

After a heart attack or heart surgery, you may not know what to do next. You might be unsure about how much activity is safe and wonder what changes to your lifestyle will be needed. Participating in a cardiac rehabilitation program offers a well-defined path for recovery. It provides the clarity, comfort and support you and your loved ones need to cope with unexpected changes in your life.

Exercise and fitness plan

The primary goal of cardiac rehabilitation is to strengthen your heart. You'll learn cardiac rehabilitation exercises and activities to help build endurance, stamina and bone density under the supervision of our certified exercise experts.  

Heart-healthy diet and nutrition

Learn how nutrition affects your health, how to make healthy food choices and strategies for planning nutritious meals. 

Weight management 

Maintaining a healthy weight reduces your heart's workload and stress. It also decreases the risk of stroke or developing diabetes and certain types of cancer. 

Better numbers

With increased activity and a healthy diet, you'll be on track to control your cholesterol and blood pressure and manage or prevent diabetes. 

Emotional support 

Learn coping strategies and feel supported at every step of your cardiac rehabilitation program. 

Cardiac rehabilitation team 

You’ll work with a team of exercise specialists, cardiac nurses, registered dietitians, psychologists and physical and occupational therapists under the supervision of a cardiologist.