The goal of the Cardiac Rehabilitation Program is to help heart attack and heart disease patients perform daily activities and other pursuits with more ease by increasing endurance and strength and to help make the changes necessary to follow a healthier lifestyle.

The exercise program is designed to gradually and safely condition the heart over an 8-to-12-week period. Programs are individualized, so patients begin at a level they are comfortable with and progress to their own levels of tolerance and improvement. Patients find that as their strength and fitness levels increase, so do their confidence and sense of well-being.

The educational component of the program involves behavioral modification to help patients adjust their lives to be healthy and to reduce the risk of another cardiac event. Subject areas include anatomy and physiology of the heart, diet modification, smoking, blood pressure and weight control. Family members are encouraged to attend and/or ask questions.

For further information concerning cardiac rehabilitation, please call 609.631.6884.