Complementing its two existing facilities in Crawford County, Avita Health Services recently opened a Cardiac Rehabilitation Department at its Ontario Hospital facility. Through this program, heart patients benefit from exercise and education led by a physician and other trained professionals. Cardiac rehab is designed to help heart patients improve their overall cardiovascular health and reach their full potential to live an active lifestyle.
Patients recovering from a heart attack, heart surgery, heart transplant, or from chronic health failure may benefit from a cardiac rehab program. Studies confirm that heart patients who participate in a supervised rehabilitation program recover more quickly, have fewer hospital admissions, and may have a reduced incidence of additional heart problems.
A cardiac rehab program generally lasts three months, with sessions three times a week. The program typically includes a combination of:
- Supervised exercise training to improve cardiovascular fitness.
- Nutrition counseling to help you eat a heart healthy diet
- Education about your condition and how to best keep up with medical therapies and manage other cardiovascular risk factors
- Skill-building and emotional support to boost your ability to cope
