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By Mayo Clinic staffCardiac rehabilitation is a long-term maintenance program — something to follow for the rest of your life. After about 12 weeks, you probably will have developed your own exercise routine at home or at a local gym. You may also continue to exercise at a cardiac rehab center. You may remain under medical supervision during this time, particularly if you have special health concerns. Education about nutrition, lifestyle and weight loss may continue, as well as counseling. For best success, make sure your exercise and lifestyle practices become lifelong habits.
Over the long term, you gain strength, learn heart-healthy behaviors, improve your diet, cut bad habits, such as smoking, and learn how to cope with heart disease. You'll also decrease your risk of coronary artery disease and other heart conditions.
One of the most valuable benefits of cardiac rehabilitation is often an improvement in your overall quality of life. If you stick with your cardiac rehab program, you're likely to come out of the program feeling better than before.
- Cardiac rehabilitation. American Heart Association. http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=4490. Accessed April 29, 2011.
- Cardiac rehabilitation. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/dci/Diseases/rehab/rehab_all.html. Accessed April 29, 2011.
- Balady GJ, et al. Core components of cardiac rehabilitation/secondary prevention programs: 2007 update. Circulation. 2007;115:2675.
- Thomas RJ, et al. AACVPR/ACC/AHA 2007 performance measures on cardiac rehabilitation for referral to and delivery of cardiac rehabilitation/secondary prevention services. Circulation. 2007;116:1611.
- Williams MA, et al. Clinical evidence for a health benefit from cardiac rehabilitation: An update. American Heart Journal. 2006;152:835.
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