ACS Q&A With Dr. Reeves – What is Cardiac Rehab?

Cardiac rehabilitation is designed to help heart patients regain their strength and return to their normal activities after receiving a stent, heart valve surgery, bypass surgery or treatment for other cardiac conditions.

While treating heart disease is important, necessary (and often lifesaving) surgery and the recovery process can slow down patients. Cardiac rehabilitation helps patients get the full benefit of their procedure or medical therapy by providing a structured path back to better health.

Cardiac rehab includes supervised exercise, which can be especially reassuring for patients recovering from procedures like bypass surgery. It provides guidance on exercising safely and answers questions about recovery. It also helps patients understand how much activity is appropriate. The goal is to help patients safely rebuild their strength and return to full speed after heart surgery or other cardiac treatments.