The Heart and Vascular Center
Cardiac Rehabiliation
To obtain or make a referral to this program, call (216) 778-BEAT (3238).
What is Cardiac Rehabilitation?
MetroHealth Medical Center’s Cardiac Rehabilitation Program is committed to providing comprehensive risk factor management to our patients with cardiovascular disease. Our program encompasses both Phase I inpatient evaluation and Phase II outpatient monitored therapy to assist patients in bridging the transition from acute illness to health. Our aggressive secondary prevention program is staffed by highly motivated exercise physiologists and dietitians who, along with the cardiologist, identify and treat coronary risk factors including smoking, weight, blood pressure and lipid management.
Individualized secondary prevention programs include not only Phase II Cardiac Rehabilitation, but Smoking Cessation, Pulmonary Rehabilitation and The Weigh to Wellness Program for weight loss.
Services Include:
- Phase I Inpatient Cardiac Rehabilitation
- Phase II Cardiac Rehabilitation –A comprehensive risk factor modification and educational program for cardiac patients which includes:
- Dietary Modification
- Exercise
- Medical Therapy
- Psychosocial Therapy
- Patient Education
- Pulmonary Rehabilitation
Who can Benefit from Cardiac Rehabilitation?
Patients with a history of:
- Angina (Cardiac chest pain)
- Coronary Artery disease
- Myocardial Infarction (Heart Attack)
- Cardiomyopathy and Heart Failure
- Coronary Artery Bypass Graft Surgery (CABG)
- Stent or Angioplasty Procedures
What Can I Expect?
Phase I Inpatient Cardiac Rehabilitation
- Inpatient
- Focus primarily on Education
- Discharge activity and dietary guidelines
- Signs and symptoms of heart disease
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Discharge Activity Guidelines for Cardiac Patients
These guidelines should be followed for the next 1-6 weeks after discharge.
If you have any questions regarding these guidelines, discuss them with your doctor before going home.
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| Examples of Activities That Are Allowed |
Guideline to Follow |
| Outpatient Cardiac Rehabilitation Program |
Consider enrollment in this program. For more information, or to schedule an evaluation (if one has not been scheduled prior to your discharge): (216) 778-1221
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| Lifting |
Limit to less than 25 pounds. |
| Stair Climbing |
You may gradually resume climbing the stairs at home. Recommendation: Limit the number of trips up and down. Go slowly at first. |
| Social Activities |
You may gradually resume going to restaurants, church and social events as soon as you feel ready. |
| Walking or Stationary Bicycling |
Should be done 7 days per week.
Heart Rate: Should NOT go up more than 20 beats per minute over your resting heart rate.
Walking Goal: Gradually work up to a continuous 30 minute walk (approximately 1 mile) over the next 2-4 weeks.
Biking Goal: Gradually work up to a continuous 30 minute workout without tension, over the next 2-4 weeks. Once up to 30 minutes, gradually add tension. |
| Household/Yard Duties That Are Allowed |
Meal Preparation Washing Dishes Light Dusting and Straightening Up Light Loads of Laundry Light Gardening Hobbies such as crafts, woodworking, modeling. |
| Sexual Activity |
Wait 1-2 weeks and resume gradually. |
| Examples of Activities That Are NOT Allowed |
Guideline to Follow |
| Return to Work |
Depends on the type of work you perform. The greater the physical demands of the job, the longer the waiting period. Your doctor must release you to return to work. Recommendation: Ask your doctor how long it will be before you can return to work. |
| Driving |
You are NOT allowed to drive unless the doctor releases you to this activity. Recommendation: Ask your doctor before you are discharged. |
| Household/Yard Duties That Are NOT Allowed |
Hedging or Rototilling Shoveling Dirt or Snow Mowing the Lawn (even with a riding mower) Vacuuming/Sweeping Painting/Washing Windows or Walls |
| Sports and Recreational Activities |
Check with your doctor before resuming bowling, golfing, fishing, jogging, swimming, outdoor biking. |
What to do if you experience angina (chest pressure/discomfort):
- STOP what you are doing and rest or sit down.
- Put one nitroglycerin tablet under your tongue and wait 5 minutes.
- If the discomfort is not completely gone, take a 2nd nitroglycerin tablet and wait 5 additional minutes.
- If the discomfort is not completely gone after two tablets, take a 3rd (and final) nitroglycerin tablet and wait five more minutes.
- If, after 15 minutes and three nitroglycerin tablets, the discomfort remains, call 911 immediately to be transported to the nearest hospital. Do not delay medical treatment by waiting to see if the discomfort will go away on its own!
Phase II Cardiac Rehabilitation
- Outpatient, Monitored
- Focus primarily on Education and Exercise
- Educational Topics (click on topic for more information)
- heart attack warning signs (slides )
- heart failure (slides )
- risk factors for coronary artery disease (slides )
- living wills & advanced directives (slides )
- dietary guidelines (slides )
- smoking cessation (slides )
- blood pressure control
- lipid management
- hyperlipidemia (slides )
- hypertension (slides )
- weight management
- home exercise (slides )
- reading food labels (slides )
- medications (slides )
- diabetes & heart disease (slides )
- stress, depression & heart disease (slides )
- stretching guidelines (slides )
- intimacy & coronary artery disease (slides )
- Exercise
- Initial exercise prescription is resting HR + 20 to 30
- Exercise stress testing performed then THR for exercise training calculated
- Exercise beginning at 60-70% of THR progressing to 80% of THR over 4-6 weeks
- Exercise 30-60 min. 4-6 X per week
- Aerobic exercise
- Resistance activity 2-3 X per week (light weights)
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