Cardiac rehab provides heart patients a safe and encouraging environment in which to begin the journey toward better health following a cardiac event, such as a heart attack. Cardiac rehabilitation addresses the physical and psychosocial needs of heart patients. Cardiac rehab involves patient education about heart health, physical fitness and behavioral modification. The overall benefit of cardiac rehab is an improved quality of life.
Improved Fitness
Improved physical fitness is the primary benefit of cardiac rehabilitation, and it creates a ripple effect throughout a heart patient's life. Following a serious heart illness like a heart attack or acute heart failure a patient experiences fear and anxiety. These psychological symptoms can immobilize a patient and aggravate health problems. Engaging in cardiac rehab provides the patient with a safe environment to start exercising and to step back into an active life. Physical fitness increases a patient's endurance and strength. Fitness of mind and body enhances a heart patient's ability to perform activities of daily living and to engage in work, hobbies and social activities.
Fewer Symptoms
Engaging in cardiac rehab helps reduce symptoms associated with heart disease. Patients experience fewer episodes of shortness of breath, fatigue, and chest pain. Anxiety and depression are psychosocial symptoms associated with heart illness that cause sleep disorders, increased fatigue and increased smoking and poor eating habits. Physical exercise helps lessen anxiety and depression by providing an outlet for psychological and emotional stress. Fewer physical and psychological symptoms mean less time at the doctor's office or in the hospital. Feeling healthier creates less dependence on the health care ,which provides patients with a sense of self-efficacy.
Decreased Risk of Death
The American Association of Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Rehabilitation reports that patients with heart disease who engage in cardiac rehabilitation following heart illness like a heart attack or heart bypass surgery experience a 20 to 25 percent reduced risk of death. The reduced mortality is attributed to the physical and psychosocial benefits gained by cardiac rehabilitation. Regular exercise lowers blood pressure and heart rate; two factors that reduce the work load on the heart. According to the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute, a patient's lipid panel improves with cardiac rehabilitation as well. Total cholesterol and triglyceride levels decrease, further reducing health risks like heart attack associated with coronary artery disease. Stress reduction decreases blood levels of stress hormones that cause blood vessels to narrow, blood pressure and heart rate to increase and cholesterol levels to rise. Each of these stress related effects have negative consequences on heart health. The stress reduction benefit of cardiac rehab helps decrease the risk of death following heart illness.
