How Does Cardiac Rehabilitation Help?
Cardiac rehabilitation can have many health benefits in both the short and long term, including:
- Strengthening your heart and body after a heart attack.
- Relieving symptoms of heart problems, such as chest pain.
- Building healthier habits such as getting more physical activity, quitting smoking, and eating a heart-healthy diet. A nutritionist or dietitian may work with you to help you limit foods with unhealthy fats and eat more fruits and vegetables that are high in vitamins, minerals, and fiber.
- Reducing stress.
- Improving your mood. People are more likely to feel depressed after a heart attack. Cardiac rehabilitation can help prevent or lessen depression.
- Increasing your energy and strength to make daily activities like carrying groceries and climbing stairs easier.
- Making you more likely to take your prescribed medicines that help lower your risk for future heart problems.
- Preventing future illness and death from heart disease. Studies have found that cardiac rehabilitation decreases the chance that you will die in the 5 years following a heart attack or bypass surgery by about 35%.
