Cardiac Rehab

Better heart health with NMC Health Cardiac Rehab

Having a heart attack or change in your heart function can be scary. We understand and are here to help you recover and regain confidence. You don’t have to face heart issues alone. Cardiac Rehab can improve your quality of life and get you back to doing the things you love. NMC Health’s Cardiac Rehab offers a medically supervised exercise and education program for anyone who has experienced a cardiac event, like a heart attack or blockage. This 12-week outpatient program is designed to limit the physical and mental effects of heart problems and certain heart symptoms. In order to participate, you must be referred by your doctor. Let our American Association of Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Rehabilitation (AACVPR) accredited care team help you regain some independence and improve your quality of life through our cardiac rehab program.

What we treat

If you have experience any of the following, you could be a good candidate for cardiac rehab:

Heart attack
Heart blockage
Congestive Heart Failure
Heart Disease
Angioplasty (heart surgery)

The program is designed to give you the tools to live a higher quality of life despite having heart disease. It can also help you recover better after a heart attack or heart surgery.

If you have a medical emergency, call 911 or visit the NMC Health Medical Center Emergency Department.

Our Care Team

Our program’s multidisciplinary team of healthcare professionals includes registered nurses (RNs) with specialized training in cardiac rehabilitation. We also have pharmacists and dietitians ready to serve you.

This team, overseen by the program’s medical director, works together to create a treatment plan specific to your needs.

This program will last 12 weeks. After you complete the program, we will talk with your doctor about your progress and recovery.

What to expect

At the start of the program, out rehab team will do an evaluation to see what type of program will best suit your recovery.

During the cardiac rehab program, you’ll learn about how your heart works and how to manage your heart condition through diet and exercise. Each program is designed for you, based on your diagnosis.

You’ll also learn:

How to improve risk factors
How your heart works
Proper nutrition and how to eat healthy
How to manage your stress level
How to manage your medicines
Recommendations for daily living activities

An individualized exercise training program is developed for each participant. Exercises may include:

NuStep
Treadmill
Stationary bicycle
Upper body bicycle
Strength training

Our Cardiac Rehab Equipment

Our cardiac rehabilitation gym is located inside NMC Health Medical Center. It has specialized exercise equipment to help meet the needs of each person who goes through the program.

Our high-tech NuStep machines are specifically designed to aide you through cardiac rehab. They allow anyone, no matter what age or ability to take steps toward recovery after having a cardiac event.

In addition, our rehab gym also has other aerobic and resistance exercise equipment such as upper body bicycles, treadmills, free weights and resistance bands.

During each of your cardiac rehab sessions, you will wear a heart monitor that will help your team know how your heart is reacting to activity. You will also learn how to exercise at an intensity that will benefit you most without making you too tired.

AACVPR Program Certification

NMC Health’s Cardiac Rehab program is AACVPR Certified. This certification is recognition of NMC Health’s commitment to improving the quality of life of patients by enhancing standards of care. To earn accreditation, NMC Health’s cardiovascular rehabilitation program participated in an application process that requires extensive documentation of the program’s practices. AACVPR Program Certification is the only peer-review accreditation process designed to review individual programs for adherence to standards and guidelines developed and published by AACVPR and other related professional societies.

Million Hearts® Health System

NMC Health is a Million Hearts® Health System for excellence in preventing heart attacks and strokes. NMC Health was selected because of its commitment to improving the cardiovascular health of its patients, employees, and communities. The Million Hearts® Hospitals & Health Systems Recognition Program provides an opportunity for hospitals to get involved in Million Hearts® and to be recognized for the ways they are improving the cardiovascular health of the population and communities they serve through the priority areas of: 1) Keeping People Healthy, 2) Optimizing Care, 3) Improving Outcomes for Priority Populations, and 4) Innovating for Health.

Pulmonary Rehabilitation

Coronary Calcium Scoring

Cardiac Nuclear Stress Testing

Cardiac Care

FAQs

How do I know if cardiac rehab is right for me?

Talk to your doctor or cardiologist. If you’ve had a heart event such as a heart attack, heart surgery, a heart stent or chest pain, cardiac rehab might be right for you. Your doctor can give you a referral to the program.

If you have had any of the following cardiac events, you may be a candidate for cardiac rehab:

Heart attack
Bypass surgery
Stable angina
Heart valve repair or replacement
Angioplasty or coronary stent
Heart or lung transplant
Congestive heart failure

Does insurance cover the cost of cardiac rehab?

Cardiac rehab is covered by Medicare and most private insurance carriers. Check with your insurance if you have questions about coverage. Most insurances will cover cardiac rehab if you’ve been diagnosed with certain conditions. You can also look at what insurance plans we accept.

If you find your insurance doesn’t cover cardiac rehab, speak with our staff about what other options you may have.

How long is the cardiac rehab program at NMC Health?

Your program length and recovery will depend on the personalized rehab plan set for by our cardiac rehab staff. Typically, you will attend 36 sessions: 3 sessions per week, for 12 weeks. Your diet, exercise and lifestyle changes are ongoing to help improve your quality of life. You will likely attend the program three times a week for one hour each session.3

How does cardiac rehabilitation help me recover?

Cardiac rehab will provide you with education and exercise techniques that can help you improve your quality of life. You’ll learn how to eat better, how to lower your risk of having a heart attack and ways you can work your way back to a normal life.

Our compassionate team will work with you on an individual basis to make sure you understand and are hitting your goals. With help, we hope you’ll start feeling better than ever before!

What are the benefits of cardiac rehabilitation?

In addition to speeding up recovery after a cardiac event (like a heart attack) and helping reduce the risk of a future one, there are numerous other benefits you may receive from cardiac rehab. Some of these include:

Improved quality of life due to the physical activity that helps strengthen your heart and lungs
Knowing the signs and symptoms of a cardiac event and when to seek medical attention
Regulation of your cholesterol
Earlier return to work and daily activities
Learning relaxation techniques and how to reduce stress
Better understanding of how your heart works and how lifestyle choices affect it

According to the American Heart Association, there was a 25-30% reduction in all-cause mortality in patients who participated in cardiac rehab after a heart cath procedure compared to people who did not. Cardiac rehab also lead to 31% lower hospital readmissions according to the Canadian Journal of Cardiology.