Cardiac Rehabilitation: Care Instructions
Overview
Cardiac rehabilitation is a program for people who have a heart problem, such as a heart attack, heart failure, or a heart valve disease. The program includes exercise, education, and emotional support. Cardiac rehab can help you improve the quality of your life through better overall health.
Your cardiac rehab team will include several people, including your doctor, a nurse specialist, a dietitian, and a physiotherapist. They will design your cardiac rehab program specifically for you. You will learn how to reduce your risk for heart problems and how to manage stress. You can learn how to stay active, eat healthy, stay at a healthy weight, and manage other health problems. Your rehab team also can help you quit smoking. By the end of the program, you will be ready to maintain a healthy lifestyle on your own.
Follow-up care is a key part of your treatment and safety. Be sure to make and go to all appointments, and call your doctor or nurse advice line (811 in most provinces and territories) if you are having problems. It's also a good idea to know your test results and keep a list of the medicines you take.
How can you care for yourself at home?
- Take your medicines exactly as prescribed. Call your doctor or nurse advice line if you think you are having a problem with your medicine. You will get more details on the specific medicines your doctor prescribes.
- Weigh yourself every day if your doctor tells you to. Watch for sudden weight gain. Weigh yourself on the same scale with the same amount of clothing at the same time of day.
- Eat heart-healthy foods. These foods include vegetables, fruits, nuts, beans, lean meat, fish, and whole grains. Limit things that are not so good for your heart, like sodium, alcohol, and sugar.
- Learn how to take your pulse so that you can track your heart rate during exercise.
- Always check with your rehab team or your doctor before you begin a new exercise program.
- Follow instructions from your rehab team about exercising at home. The rehab team can help make a program for you.
- Stop exercising if you have any unusual discomfort, such as chest pain.
- Do not smoke. Smoking can make heart problems worse. If you need help quitting, talk to your doctor or rehab team about stop-smoking programs and medicines. These can increase your chances of quitting for good.
When should you call for help?
Call 911 anytime you think you may need emergency care. For example, call if:
- You have severe trouble breathing.
- You cough up pink, foamy mucus and you have trouble breathing.
- You have symptoms of a heart attack. These may include:
- Chest pain or pressure, or a strange feeling in the chest.
- Sweating.
- Shortness of breath.
- Nausea or vomiting.
- Pain, pressure, or a strange feeling in the back, neck, jaw, or upper belly or in one or both shoulders or arms.
- Light-headedness or sudden weakness.
- A fast or irregular heartbeat.
After you call 911, the operator may tell you to chew 1 adult-strength or 2 to 4 low-dose aspirin. Wait for an ambulance. Do not try to drive yourself. - You have angina symptoms (such as chest pain or pressure) that do not go away with rest or are not getting better within 5 minutes after you take a dose of nitroglycerin.
- You have symptoms of a stroke. These may include:
- Sudden numbness, tingling, weakness, or loss of movement in your face, arm, or leg, especially on only one side of your body.
- Sudden vision changes.
- Sudden trouble speaking.
- Sudden confusion or trouble understanding simple statements.
- Sudden problems with walking or balance.
- A sudden, severe headache that is different from past headaches.
- You passed out (lost consciousness).
Call your doctor or nurse advice line now or seek immediate medical care if:
- You have new or increased shortness of breath.
- You are dizzy or light-headed, or you feel like you may faint.
- You gain weight suddenly, such as 1 to 1.3 kilograms (2 to 3 pounds) in a day or 2 kilograms (5 pounds) in a week. (Your doctor may suggest a different range of weight gain.)
- You have increased swelling in your legs, ankles, or feet.
Watch closely for changes in your health, and be sure to contact your doctor or nurse advice line if you have any problems.
Where can you learn more?
Go to https://www.healthwise.net/patientEd
Enter D709 in the search box to learn more about "Cardiac Rehabilitation: Care Instructions".
Current as of: June 24, 2023
Author: Healthwise Staff
Clinical Review Board
All Healthwise education is reviewed by a team that includes physicians, nurses, advanced practitioners, registered dieticians, and other healthcare professionals.
