Questions and Answers About Cardiac Rehab

If you’ve had a heart attack, bypass surgery or another serious heart event, there’s something that could cut your cardiovascular risk by nearly half — and it’s not another medication. It’s cardiac rehab.

Cardiac rehabilitation, or “cardiac rehab,” is a medically supervised exercise program designed to help patients recover and thrive after a heart-related procedure or diagnosis. It includes exercise training, risk factor modification, heart-healthy education, nutrition advice and counseling to reduce stress that can often accompany these medical conditions.

(Watch now: If you’ve had a heart attack or other serious heart event, there’s something that could cut your cardiovascular risk by nearly half, says Raquel Nodarse-Lara, RN, at Baptist Health Miami Cardiac & Vascular Institute.)

Surprisingly, fewer than 30 percent of eligible patients in the U.S. enroll in cardiac rehab programs, according to the American Heart Association. And many who start don’t complete the full course. That’s a missed opportunity for better health.

“Patients who go through our cardiac rehab program live better, and are more likely to avoid further cardiac events,” explains Raquel Nodarse-Lara, RN, patient care supervisor for Cardiac Rehabilitation at Baptist Health Miami Cardiac & Vascular Institute.

Nodarse-Lara, who helps oversee the day-to-day operations of the Institute’s Cardiac Rehab program, recently sat down with Resource to answer some questions about why patients should consider cardiac rehab.

Can you explain what cardiac rehab is?

Nodarse-Lara: Cardiac rehab is a programmatic approach to help people with cardiac issues or those who’ve had a cardiac procedure or event get back to a healthy lifestyle — and quite frankly, sometimes an even healthier lifestyle than before they had their cardiac problem.

Cardiac rehab takes a comprehensive approach, looking at many aspects of a patient’s life — things like their exercise regimen, psychological state, nutritional understanding and stress management. In a supervised fashion, we help patients resume activities and get on a course where they’ll continue to exercise and continue their positive lifestyle changes after the program.

So cardiac rehab is wide-reaching by design?

Nodarse-Lara: A lot of the benefits of cardiac rehab are psychological, no question, in addition to the physical benefits. The psychological components have a lot to do with reassuring patients that they’re able to do certain things on their own — specifically, exercise. And by the way, this is not just about the patient; spouses and family members get engaged as well.

So. for example, a patient may feel ready to walk, but their spouse may be worried and want to hold them back. With the programmatic approach, patients are able to resume physical activity faster and more safely than if they are left to their own devices. The period after a person has a cardiac event is usually scary. The more reassurance we can give patients and their families — the more certainty we can give them — the less anxiety they’ll have and the more likely they are to take a positive course.

Is cardiac rehab mainly for people who have had heart attacks?

Nodarse-Lara: Cardiac Rehab is a structured monitored exercise program that is not only for patients who have had a heart attack, but also percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty, bypass surgery, a heart valve repair or replacement, or have Congestive Heart Failure.

Our program provides these patients the confidence to exercise and resume their lifestyle even when they say: “I’m not sure what to do,” or “I’m afraid to do this on my own.” Those are the perfect candidates for cardiac rehab. We also have a women’s heart support group.

How quickly do improvements happen?

Nodarse-Lara: Once patients start, we actually see improvements pretty quickly — within weeks — as long as the patient is consistent with their attendance. The exercise program is graduated, so they start at a certain level and work their way up. Sometimes where we start is even less than the person thinks they can do.

The goal is to get them to the point where they’re at a safe level of activity that they can continue on their own. Improvements are noted within the first few weeks. Some of that is because the patient knows, ‘I have people helping me, I have people answering my questions, I feel more secure.’

Why don’t more people participate in cardiac rehab?

Nodarse-Lara: The reasons are multifaceted. It’s hard to make lifestyle changes — we understand that. Some people are resistant to the idea that they’ll need to add physical activity to their lives, while others state they exercised before and know what to do. But Cardiac Rehab provides guidance and monitored telemetry after their cardiac event.

Some people worry that they don’t have the time to commit to a structured program because of work or family obligations. The program usually lasts from 4-12 weeks, with 2-3 sessions per week. Giving it a try is important; your health is worth the investment of time and effort. Patients with cardiac events should take the initiative and ask if they might be a candidate. For those who qualify, it is usually covered by insurance or Medicare.

What would you like people to share about Baptist Health’s cardiac rehab program?

Nodarse-Lara: We have a robust cardiac rehab program and we’re proud to say that our patient satisfaction and outcomes are top-notch. We have an amazing team of experienced professionals capable of giving our patients highly personalized care.

They’re quite passionate about helping people. It’s nurses, dietitians, exercise physiologists and doctors that make this program special. The most important thing about our program is that it’s a collaborative effort to improve our patient’s lives.

One way to understand your personal risk of developing heart disease is to get a heart scan. In just 30 minutes, a non-invasive CT scan can uncover risks you didn’t even know existed. Talk to your doctor and see if a heart scan is right for you. Visit BaptistHealth.net/HeartScan or call 833-596-2473 to find out more.