Cardiac rehabilitation is not a few days’ help from physiotherapists, as is the case with knee, ankle, or shoulder injuries. In this case, we are talking about weeks or even many months of intensive work for the patient with a rehabilitator to learn to live and function again. What are the stages of cardiac rehabilitation? What do they consist of?

What is the purpose of cardiac rehabilitation?

The main task to be fulfilled by cardiac rehabilitation is to help patients return to normality after suffering heart diseases, especially after a heart attack, as well as after operations within the cardiovascular system. Both in prophylaxis and in the prevention of various types of diseases, adequate physical effort plays an extremely important role. The stages of cardiac rehabilitation are multi-stage and they look similar regardless of the type of disease.

It is wrong to say that if you have heart disease, you should rest and limit your effort to a minimum. Such a situation may lead to the opposite effects than assumed. The right approach to the topicof cardiac rehabilitationis of key importance, and this is what you should definitely focus on. Of course, it is impossible to undertake exercises and arrange training on your own, but with the help of doctors and physiotherapists, it is necessary!

Stage 1 – patient education and physiotherapy in the hospital

In the first stage, it is crucial to educate the patient about the history of the disease, the method and method of treatment, as well as the risk factors it entails. It is also very important to inform him about the method of rehabilitation and how to proceed during it. This period of physical therapy is conducted in the hospital. In the case of a heart attack, it begins on the second day, if, of course, there are no complications.Breathing exercisesare recommended at firstthat are supposed to get the patient used to taking the right breaths, which for many are a very stressful activity. Then, independent attempts to change positions are made and, consequently, the first, self-made steps. With each passing day, the load is greater and the training duration is longer. On the fifth day, the patient, with the help of a physical therapist, may try to go up and down the stairs.

When should you stopexercising after a heart attack? In a situation where a sick person developscardiac arrhythmias, shortness of breath, rapid increase in blood pressure,orcoronary pain,During rehabilitation, it is necessary to connect the patient tothe EKG machinein order to be able to constantly monitor the electrical activity of the heart. For this purpose, anEKG holteris installed, which enables 24 or 48-hour control of the heart’s work, and not just like a regular ECG, which records only the work of the heart at rest.

This stage ends with appropriatetests,followed by an exercise testand the determination of a specific pharmacological treatment method. And this action ends stage 1 and allows you to start stage 2. What does it look like? What plays the most important role in it?

2nd stage – convalescence period

Here, the basis is proper cooperation with a physiotherapist and a doctor. The patient must under no circumstances perform the exercises on his own. Everything must be done under the watchful eye of specialists and with the patient’s health in mind. So what does it look like? The basis isthe implementation of the cardiac rehabilitation exercise plan. It may, depending on the patient’s health condition, take place in hospital, outpatient and home settings. In hospitals, elderly people usually train, with unfavorable social conditions, with other comorbidities or in need of constant monitoring of parameters due to the severe course of the disease. In the case of people starting the implementation of the plan, such training may be performed in a laboratory, and then at home. The patient must then have the ability to independently control pressure, as well as loads during training. During rehabilitation at home, the so-calledseveral-minute-long endurance training, general conditioning and resistance exercises areused . What activities are allowed, which are not allowed?

Duringcardiac rehabilitation, it is extremely important to use activities that are relevant to the patient’s abilities and health. So it will be perfect here:

• Cycling
• Walks
• Playing table tennis
• Minor work in the garden
• Cleaning up the house

Activities such as:

• Weightlifting
• Pushing heavy things
• Demanding digging
• Performing a static effort

3rd stage – stabilization

This stage begins about six months after the disease. It is extremely important at this stage to maintain good condition, both physically and mentally. Of course, pharmacological treatment, avoiding stress, adequate sleep or a healthy, balanced diet are important. Remember to also maintain regular physical activity. What can be done? What should a well-designed training plan look like?

In order to reduce the risk ofdeveloping heart disease, cardiac arrhythmiasand other ailments, it is necessary to dose more and more intense loads in the form of specific forms of activity. What is a good choice? It will be for sure;

• March
• Nordic walking
• Swimming
• Cycling
• Slow strides

Cardiac rehabilitation as an aid to the heart

Cardiovascular disease accounts for nearly half of all deaths and the mortality rate alone is very high. According to statistics from the Polish Cardiac Society, every eleventh patient dies within a year after leaving the hospital. The main culprit of this state of affairs is improper cardiac rehabilitation or the complete lack of it. Only and properly implemented rehabilitation can guarantee recovery, both for people after heart attacks and for other heart diseases. It should be fully comprehensive, multi-stage and, importantly, carried out on a continuous basis, individually for each patient. This is the overarching and priority element here that needs to be dealt with in the first place.

There are still no places in Poland where cardiac rehabilitation for people in need can be undertaken under the National Health Fund. Some patients with financial resources decide to take private care of physiotherapists and doctors. Some, unfortunately, do not undergo comprehensive rehabilitation in the way it should look like. Hence, the prognosis after heart attacks and other heart diseases is still not the best. Therefore, it is of key importance to take all measures to be able to receive such care and help, both in hospital and out of hospital. Without physical activity with an appropriately selected load for the patient, recovery and further, long life is absolutely impossible. You have to keep this fact in mind.