We Guide You Through the Crucial Stages of Cardiac Rehab
Having a heart attack is terrifying. It prompts you to place your cardiac health as a top priority. You may even be concerned about the possibility of having a second heart attack. This concern is well-founded: According to the American Heart Association,1 in 5 people who have had a heart attack will have a second one within the next five years. Cardiac rehabilitation is instrumental in helping ensure this does not happen. This medically supervised program helps improve cardiovascular health through exercise, counseling and education.
Because this program is so vital, we wanted to provide a quick review of the stages of cardiac rehab, why they are important, and how Bladen East guides you on your journey.
Have you had a knee replacement? Recovering from a heart attack? Maybe you’ve had an accident or injury and you need a place to regain your range of motion. Our skilled nursing community in Elizabethtown has a robust and comprehensive rehabilitation program. Inpatient rehab is not only convenient, but it provides easy access to a dedicated healthcare team who will work with you through every step of your journey. Do you want to know more? Contact us about taking the next step.
What Can I Expect From Each Stage of Cardiac Rehab?
1. The Hospital Stage
This first stage begins when you’ve been hospitalized for a heart attack or other cardiac event. While you’re still there, healthcare workers will be managing your pain, keeping a close eye on your health and starting some basic physical activity to help in your recovery.
When you’re discharged from the hospital to Bladen East for cardiac rehabilitation, our experienced healthcare team will work closely with your cardiologist. We’ll follow their instructions concerning your recovery and ensure they are followed to the letter.
2. Early Outpatient Stage
This involves attending regular classes and working with exercise psychologists, doctors and nurses. They will closely monitor you as you begin an exercise program. Gradually, you’ll increase your activity levels. This stage of cardiac rehab also involves extensive educational information about maintaining heart health.
3. Maintenance/ Extended Outpatient Stage
This is a maintenance program that encourages and enables you to continue the progress you completed in the second stage. Often, this stage is not medically supervised, and its main goal is to safeguard your long-term health.
Why Should You Have Inpatient Cardiac Rehabilitation vs Outpatient?
You can choose to receive cardiac rehabilitation as an outpatient, but are there advantages to having these stages of cardiac rehab at a skilled nursing community in Elizabethtown?
There are several benefits to having inpatient cardiac rehabilitation. We’ll list a few of them below:
Comprehensive recovery
Inpatient programs like those at Bladen East offer frequent therapy sessions under close supervision of a leading healthcare team.
Intensive Monitoring—Especially if You Have Other Health Conditions
Skilled nursing is an ideal situation for those who have multiple health problems in addition to cardiac issues. Our patients may have issues such as diabetes, high blood pressure, non-healing wounds or cancer. Through medication management and specialized care, we can place you in a position of success.
More Frequent Therapy Sessions
Because you have easy access to our leading rehabilitation specialists, your therapy sessions are not just more convenient, but they’re more frequent as well.
At Bladen East, we have our own physical therapy room and extensive equipment that provides easy access to what you need to make a complete, successful recovery.
Faster Recovery
When you have almost immediate access to a physical therapy team, you can have a faster recovery, often having more rehab sessions than you would as an outpatient.
Convenience
When you’re an inpatient, you don’t have to travel to an outpatient facility. These outpatient visits can be challenging if you have other health conditions that make it difficult to get to appointments. When you’re at Bladen East, there’s no need to travel–everything you need is right here.
What Is the Desired Goal of Cardiac Rehab?
The goal of cardiac rehabilitation is not only to strengthen your heart and help you establish a regular exercise routine. It also has an educational aspect to help you make informed decisions about how to care for your heart.
How Can I Prepare for Cardiac Rehab?
We encourage you to take the following steps to better prepare yourself for cardiac rehab:
- Talk to your doctor: Make sure you understand your treatment regimen and your healthcare goals.
- Speak with an insurance representative: This is vital to determine what will and will not be covered as part of cardiac rehab.
- Set realistic goals: Our team of physical therapists will help you set reasonable goals and work closely with you so you can achieve them!
- Ask questions: We are here for you, and we pledge to take time to answer all your concerns.
For Comprehensive Cardiac Rehab From a Dedicated Team of Professionals, Look No Further Than Bladen East
We’re here for you through all the stages of cardiac rehab, but that is only one facet of our services. Whether you have had a joint replacement, are recovering from a stroke, or have an injury, we’re dedicated to helping you gain independence and improve your quality of life.
To learn more, all you have to do is take the next step.
The content within this article and others on this website is only for educational purposes and should not be considered as medical advice. For any questions or concerns, please consult with your healthcare provider.
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Sources:
American Heart Association, “How High Blood Pressure Can Lead to a Heart Attack,”https://www.heart.org/en/health-topics/high-blood-pressure/health-threats-from-high-blood-pressure/how-high-blood-pressure-can-lead-to-a-heart-attack
American Heart Association, “Proactive Steps Can Reduce Chances of Second Heart Attack,” https://www.heart.org/en/news/2019/04/04/proactive-steps-can-reduce-chances-of-second-heart-attack
Mayo Clinic, “Cardiac Rehabilitation Program,” https://www.mayoclinic.org/departments-centers/cardiac-rehabilitation-program/overview/ovc-20442302