Mr. Pande had just retired this year and he already had a thousand things planned to do with his time. He wanted to join a music class, he had planned activities for the senior citizen group that he was the secretary of and he also planned to visit his son who was working in the US. Mr. Pande believed ‘the second phase of his life’ has just begun.
All his plans were ruined the moment he collapsed on his way back from his morning walk. After rushing off to the hospital, it was revealed that 3 of his coronary arteries were blocked and that a bypass surgery would be necessary. A week later, Mr. Pande underwent a successful Bypass surgery and was sent home.
Mr. Pande, believed that his second phase of his life, nearly ended his life and now resigned to a lifestyle of plenty of rest and no activity.
However life after a Bypass or any heart procedure does not have to be resigned to no activity! There are ways in which you can make lifestyle modifications that will keep your heart fit yet keep you moving and living a healthy life.
Cardiac rehabilitation is one such program that will help you do that…
What is Cardiac Rehabilitation?
Cardiac Rehabilitation is a program for those who suffer from heart disease. The whole point of the program is to educate the patient, conduct exercises and counsel him regarding the lifestyle changes so that the patient can make a faster recovery and is able to handle the changes that heart disease brings with it.
Why Cardiac Rehabilitation?
A heart patient will undergo a lot of changes in his life, for few weeks after the surgery, he will be restricted to bed rest and his physical activity will be reduced. The patient has to consume a diet that is low in oil, salt, he will have to let go of his favorite activities and quit his habits like smoking and drinking. All these changes in a span of few weeks are sure to overwhelm a person.
Cardiac Rehabilitation will help the patient accept his disease and make conscious efforts to be healthy. As Dr. Ashish Contractor, head of Heart Disease Prevention and Rehabilitation says, “It is extremely important for heart patients to undergo cardiac rehabilitation because it ensures that the person makes a better and faster recovery and improves his chance for long term survival.”
Is Cardiac Rehabilitation right for you?
Cardiac Rehabilitation is a program for those who have suffered from,
- Heart attack
- Bypass Surgery
- Angioplasty
- Angina
- Heart Valve surgery
- Heart Transplant surgery
For all those who have one of the risk factors of
High Blood Pressure- Systolic pressure of more than 120mm hg and Diastolic pressure of more than 80 mm hg
Family history of Heart Disease- A direct relative with a heart condition or disease
High cholesterol- Total Cholesterol over 120md/dL and Good cholesterol lower than 40 mg/dL
Diabetes- Blood sugar levels more than 126 mg/ dL
(Courtesy: Asian Heart Institute website)
You can avail the services of Prevention of Cardiology department in some hospitals which will include medication, exercise, counseling and lifestyle modification changes according to the individual’s health of the heart to prevent heart attack, heart surgery and improve the overall quality of life.
If a person with more than one risk factor gets a chance to examine his lifestyle and reduce his risk factors, he will not have to undergo the physical and financial strain of a heart surgery and the deterioration of life after the surgery.
What all does Cardiac Rehabilitation include?
Cardiac Rehabilitation includes monitoring of the heart, exercise that is suitable to the health of the heart, counseling regarding the lifestyle changes to be made, emotional counseling that looks at the causes of the disease and measures to control it like- emotional eating and dependence on cigarettes to release stress.
How long does the program last?
Dr. Ashish says the duration of the program is for about 3 months. The program is divided into 3 stages as follows:
Stage one: In the Hospital
Cardiac Rehabilitation starts after the patient goes through a heart procedure like an angioplasty or a Bypass surgery. There are some exercises that begin in the ICU itself. After he is shifted from the ICU, the patient has to answer questions regarding his lifestyle. He is then educated about the disease and told about measures regarding lifestyle modifications. Slowly his activity is increased until he is able to walk small distances.
Stage two: After leaving the Hospital
Now, the patient is treated as an outpatient and he comes to the hospital or the clinic few times a week during which his heart is monitored while he exercises, this ensures that the patient gets the most ideal workout while taking care that the heart does not get over stressed.
There are many programs which include yoga and meditation techniques that can help the patients relax.
Stage three: Lifestyle changes
Now that the patient is educated about the disease and the lifestyle modification that is expected out of him, the patient has to independently take care of his health. There are guidelines that he has to follow and there are regular tests that are recommended but the patient more or less is on his own, responsible for his own health.
Mr. Pande took the advice of his friend and underwent the Cardiac rehabilitation program, he got to know many things about his disease and with diet and lifestyle changes, he felt fit enough to be able to visit his son the next year!
Thus Cardiac Rehabilitation makes sure that the patient makes a quicker recovery and that he makes lifestyle changes that will enable him to live a healthy and long life. So for those who thought that life after a heart surgery is no life at all, think again!
