Cardiac rehabilitation for heart disease patients

Cardiac Rehabilitation for Heart Disease Patients

Rehabilitation medicine in the care of patients with cardiovascular problems aims to restore heart function so that patients can work at an appropriate level, along with psychological and emotional rehabilitation. This involves a combination of medical processes, education, and exercise to improve the quality of life for heart disease patients and enable them to return to living independently as normally as possible.

Who Should Receive Cardiac Rehabilitation?

• Those with risk factors for coronary artery disease such as diabetes, high blood pressure, abnormal high blood lipids, overweight, smoking, lack of exercise, or irregular exercise
• Patients with coronary artery stenosis
• Patients with myocardial ischemia or myocardial infarction
• Patients with heart failure or cardiac insufficiency
• Patients after balloon angioplasty, heart surgery, or heart valve surgery
• Patients with myocardial muscle abnormalities
• Patients with peripheral artery stenosis

Services Provided in Cardiac Rehabilitation and Promotion

• Consultation on exercise, self-care for heart disease, and risk factor control by cardiac rehabilitation specialists
• Designing individualized exercise programs
• Supervising safe exercise by physical therapists
• Organizing daily routines for patients according to individual intensity levels
• Providing guidance on post-hospital care to safely perform activities or exercise

When Can the Exercise Program Begin?

Light, structured exercise can begin while the patient is still in the hospital, mostly walking. In the initial phase, close monitoring is necessary to track vital signs or any abnormal symptoms that may occur. Controlling and training patients to exercise helps reduce anxiety and builds confidence to start exercising safely.

Benefits of Cardiac Rehabilitation

• Prevents complications from prolonged bed rest or immobility
• Improves physical fitness and heart function efficiency
• Enhances coronary blood flow
• Reduces risk factors for coronary artery disease such as weight loss, lowering lipid levels, blood sugar control, and stress reduction

Cardiac rehabilitation is not only focused on exercise. Post-illness prevention is a key goal by modifying risk behaviors such as quitting smoking, controlling diet, exercising, along with managing lipid levels, diabetes, and high blood pressure. This helps patients maintain good health and adopt healthier lifestyle behaviors in the long term.