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Doctor Referral Service: 888-522-5585
• Health Scene
7
Doctor Referral Service: 888-522-5585
• Health Scene
7
Rehab for a
healing heart
Overwhelming evidence shows that
people who have experienced a cardiac
event and participate in a cardiac rehabili-
tation program can decrease death rates
by up to 25 percent. If you are referred by
your doctor, the program is covered by
Medicare and most insurance programs.
Beaufort Memorial has an excellent
Cardiovascular Rehabilitation Program,
which is offered in the LifeFit Wellness
Center. The program is designed to help
cardiac patients return to normal activity
through medically supervised exercise,
nutrition counseling and education. For
more information, call Graham Jones,
clinical exercise specialist, or Kim Raines,
RN, at
843-522-5636
.
You’ve survived
a heart attack. Now it’s
time to get back on the road to a healthy
life and to do all you can to avoid more
heart problems.
“When I talk to someone who has had a
heart attack, I tell him or her it is going to
change everything,” says Gina Lundberg,
MD, a cardiologist and spokeswoman for
the American Heart Association (AHA).
“It changes your lifestyle. It changes how
you feel about yourself and your relation-
ships with others.”
It’s important to acknowledge this, she
says, and to realize that these changes can
pave the path to recovery.
Changes ahead
Lifestyle changes are crucial after a heart
attack, according to the AHA. You will
need to:
➜
Avoid tobacco.
➜
Become
more active.
➜
Choose good nutrition.
Quitting smoking is often the biggest
challenge, Dr. Lundberg says. But if it’s too
hard to quit smoking at this time, try to
cut back on how much you smoke and fo-
cus on other changes, such as adjustments
to your diet and exercise habits.
You can expect to take new medica-
tions after a heart attack. They may
prevent blood clots, lower cholesterol and
reduce the workload on your heart. It’s
crucial to take all of them as directed.
But the new routine of daily pills can
exaggerate feelings of lost confidence in
your body and health. It’s a reason depres-
sion is so common after a heart attack.
Don’t hesitate to let your doctor know
if you feel depressed. It might help to talk
with a counselor. You might also find
valuable support in a cardiac rehabilita-
tion program, Dr. Lundberg says.
A heart attack can cause stress at home
too—shaking up emotions and family
roles. For instance, “It can be upsetting
when a woman has a heart attack and her
husband takes up her caretaking role,” Dr.
Lundberg says.
On the other hand, a man who’s had a
heart attack may begin resenting a wife
who reminds him to take his pills and
who monitors his diet. “A spouse can sud-
denly seem less of a helpmate and more of
a nag,” says Dr. Lundberg.
Try to remember that your partner
is acting out of love, she suggests, and
consider asking your doctor about family
counseling.
American College of Cardiology; National Heart, Lung, and Blood
Institute
Recovering
from a heart
attack?
Talk to your
doctor about
a referral to
our cardiac
rehabilitation
program,
or call 843-
522-5636 to
learn more.
After a heart attack:
Changes for
the better