DCH Corner – Cardiac Rehabilitation Week

February is Heart Month, and the week of February 9-15, 2020 is recognized as Cardiac Rehabilitation Week.

The Decatur County Hospital Cardiac Rehabilitation program is a medically supervised outpatient program for patients who are recovering after heart attack, heart failure, angioplasty (stents) or heart surgery.

Cardiac rehab doesn’t change your past, but it can help you improve your heart’s future. Every little step you take toward heart health helps you take the next step, and the step after that.

Cardiac Rehabilitation has three equally important parts:

• Exercise counseling and training: Exercise gets your heart pumping and your entire cardiovascular system working. You will learn how to get your body moving in ways to promote heart health.
• Education for heart healthy living: Assess risk factors and how to manage them. Do you smoke? Are your overweight? Do you have diabetes – if so are your blood sugars under control? Do you have high blood pressure? Do you know if you have high cholesterol and is it being treated effectively? Educating yourself is key.
• Counseling to reduce stress: Stress adversely affects your heart. Cardiac Rehabilitation helps you identify and tackle everyday sources of stress.

Participating in a cardiac rehab program after you experience a cardiac event is how you can lower your risk of additional events. Here are a few ways you will benefit from participating in cardiac rehab: Lower your risk of a future cardiac event. Eat better. Lose weight. Return to work. Engage in daily activities you might have missed.

Cardiac rehabilitation is a team effort. You needn’t face heart disease alone. Doctors, nurses, pharmacists, dieticians, plus family and friends will assist you to take charge of the choices, lifestyle and habits that affect your heart.

If you have questions or would like more information about the Cardiac Rehabilitation program at Decatur County Hospital, click here or contact Judy Parsons, RN 641-446-2346.