More than one million Americans will have a heart attack this year, and one-third of them will die. The American Heart Association recommends physician-supervised cardiac rehabilitation for patients who are recovering from a heart attack, coronary bypass surgery, balloon angioplasty, or who have a surgically implanted pacemaker or defibrillator, as well as for those who have angina or are at high risk of heart disease.
At MedStar Good Samaritan Hospital, we are committed to your continued care following treatment for cardiovascular disease, by providing all phases of cardiac rehabilitation to our patients and their families. The Good Health Center features many heart healthy activities, including exercise programs, nutrition counseling, support groups for congestive heart failure and other problems, and ongoing educational opportunities.
Cardiac rehabilitation can help patients increase their energy, battle depression that often follows a heart attack, and recover faster. The exercise component can reduce body fat and improve muscle tone, strength, and endurance, while counseling helps patients modify their behavior and adjust to the psychological shock after a heart attack.
Although the fear of a second heart attack may deter some people from resuming sexual activity, sex typically induces no more stress than climbing a flight of stairs. Physical activity has been shown to reduce stress levels and improve patients’ overall sense of well being, but exercise alone may not change the risk for subsequent heart attacks.
