Chilliwack and Fraser Health Rural

What is cardiac rehabilitation?

Cardiac rehabilitation is a program to help patients to be more active and make lifestyle changes that can lead to a stronger heart and better health. The cardiac rehabilitation teams guide patients virtually through healthy heart education classes and supervised exercise programs to help them to feel better and reduce their risk of future heart problems.

The cardiac rehabilitation program also allows people to interact with others online who have similar issues. This can help patients grow more confident in their ability to go back to daily activities and hobbies. Cardiac rehabilitation programs can help patients with questions such as, "Where do I start?" "How much is enough?" and "What is safe for me?"

Who can attend the cardiac rehabilitation program?

People with many types of heart disease can benefit from cardiac rehab. Anyone who has been diagnosed with a heart condition, whether clogged arteries, a heart attack or another condition related to the heart or vascular system, can participate. Anyone who has one or more modifiable risk factors for heart disease (such as high blood pressure or cholesterol, diabetes or obesity, or people who are sedentary or smokers) can also attend a healthy heart program to learn about exercise and other life style changes to help reduce their risk of developing heart disease.

What will a patient do in the cardiac rehabilitation program?

The program will begin with a full physical, this may be completed virtually depending on patients needs and goals, and may include tests such as an electrocardiogram (ECG) and exercise treadmill test. These tests will help the patients team design an exercise program that is personalized to each patient.