In the Cardiac Rehabilitation Program we focus on:

• exercise
• nutrition and weight control
• stress management
• education
• support

We tailor individual programs to fit your needs. Staff members keep thorough records during your rehabilitation, sharing all information with you and your physicians.

Whenever you exercise, you will be hooked up to an EKG monitor with staff supervising and assessing your exercise session.

There are three phases in St. Mary’s Heart Center Cardiac Rehabilitation Program.

Phase I: For patients hospitalized for heart disease. This phase focuses on education and safe progression of activity.

Phase II: Consists of EKG-monitored exercise sessions, educational classes and individual teaching. EKG monitoring provides safety during exercise sessions and serves as one way to evaluate progress. The monitoring also provides your physician with information to make adjustments in your medical treatment.

Before you begin the Phase II program, you will go through a one-on-one orientation with the staff. You will have an opportunity to become familiar with the facility and the staff, which includes cardiac nurses, a registered dietitian and an administrative technician.

Then you will begin a progressive, supervised and monitored exercise program three times a week. All equipment is state-of-the-art and designed for your comfort.

In addition, you’ll participate in education classes on heart disease, nutrition, stress management and lifestyle changes. As you learn how to reduce your cardiac risk factors, you’ll learn to enhance the quality of your life.

Phase III: Maintenance program that provides a safe and enjoyable atmosphere for individuals who have completed phase II and wish to continue on with their lifestyle choices and changes adopted during their phase II program.

We encourage spouses or loved ones to come to the sessions and to be actively involved in the educational component of the program. We know that if this happens, you’ll have the best possible chance for long-term success.

Learning to adjust to lifestyle changes can be a difficult experience for heart patients. Along with other patients and the staff, spouses and loved ones become part of a support group that listens to your concerns and offer you ongoing encouragement during your recovery.

You and your physician decide a starting point. Some patients begin cardiac rehabilitation while they’re still in the hospital. Others wait a few weeks after they’ve had cardiac problems.

The formal Phase II program lasts 12 weeks with sessions coordinated three times a week. Many patients enroll in the maintenance program after they finish Phase II. They find their motivation remains high when they continue to work closely with professionals who are aware of their health risks and who are close at hand while they exercise.