Heal a Broken Heart

How To Heal A Broken Heart

Cardiac Rehab Awareness Week is February 8-14

A cardiac rehab program can be your best friend when your heart needs healing. Almost anyone who has had a heart attack, stroke, heart transplant, an angioplasty or other heart operation, such as a valve replacement, will reap multiple benefits from an education and exercise program specifically designed to reduce the risk of future heart problems.

With most cardiac rehab programs, you work with a team of healthcare professionals. This team can include a cardiologist, a nurse specialist, a dietician, an exercise specialist and a physical therapist. In many cases, the cardiac rehab team will first perform an electrocardiogram or a stress test to check on the health of your heart. They can also help you manage your high blood pressure and high cholesterol, working with you to make permanent lifestyle changes that will promote a healthy heart. For example, if you smoke, they can help you stop. They can also create a customized exercise program that’s both safe and effective.

There are other benefits, too. Patients who participate in a cardiac rehab program increase their ability to engage in physical activities. They become more active, which improves their psychological outlook. Depression and stress can decrease dramatically. In addition, many symptoms, such as chest pain, feeling out of breath and lack of energy, decrease substantially or disappear altogether.

Cardiac rehabilitation has a long and proven track record of success. For example, people who undergo cardiac rehab after a heart attack have a 50 percent greater survival rate after three years compared to people who do not. Unfortunately, only about half of heart attack victims participate fully in a cardiac rehab program.

 

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