Cardiac Rehabilitation
Returning to your regular routine after a heart attack or surgery can be frustrating. You might feel frightened or uncertain about what you can safely do after such a major cardiac event.
That's where the UK Gill Heart & Vascular Institute can help.
We offer a physically and emotionally supportive place where you can recover at your own pace under the supervision of an experienced and compassionate team of specialists that includes a cardiologist, cardiac nurse, cardiac physiologist, and a nutritionist.
Our multidisciplinary program helps you change and/or improve your lifestyle while strengthening both the body and the mind. By learning ways to prevent cardiovascular disease and simultaneously strengthening the body and heart, a patient can recover more quickly from a cardiac event and also help prevent future events.
Our goal is to help you back on the path to wellness and a better quality of life.
The Gill Heart & Vascular Institute’s cardiac rehabilitation program offers a multidisciplinary approach that includes physicians, nurses, exercise physiologists and dietitians who will help you achieve the best cardiovascular health possible.
Reasons to join our rehab program include:
- Patients who attend cardiac rehab after a qualifying cardiac event such as a heart attack or major heart surgery are more likely to be alive in five years.
- We are a certified program by the American Association of Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Rehabilitation (AACVPR). Certified AACVPR programs are recognized as leaders in the field of cardiovascular rehabilitation because they offer the most advanced practices available. We work in close conjunction with the physicians at the Gill Heart & Vascular Institute to optimize cardiovascular care.
- Our state-of-the-art facility is conveniently located on Maxwell Street with close parking.
Patient appointments
Request an appointment online or call one of the locations listed below.
Referrals
Health care providers, please visit our referral page to refer your patient to this service.
What is cardiac rehabilitation?
Cardiac rehabilitation is a comprehensive program that provides medical evaluation, supervised exercise, risk factor modification, medication optimization and education to people who have suffered a cardiac event, such as a heart attack or major heart surgery.
Studies have concluded that cardiac rehabilitation increases a patient’s chance of survival by 20 percent to 25 percent increased chance of survival to participants and lowers their risk of a subsequent cardiac event.
During each session, the patient is monitored by the staff to ensure safety as well as progress. The courteous, professional staff includes the cardiovascular program director; exercise physiologist; cardiac nurse; and a rehabilitation assistant. Dietary consultations also are available for each patient.
There are three stages of cardiac rehabilitation:
- Phase I is completed while the patient is still in the hospital.
- Phase II generally begins one to three weeks following the patient’s discharge from the hospital. The sessions can last for 12 to 18 weeks, with the patient attending two or three sessions per week. These sessions are monitored by a physician and are tailored to fit the individual's needs.
- Phase III is a maintenance program that does not involve physician supervision. This typically continues after completion of Phase II.
Who should undergo cardiac rehabilitation?
These cardiac events that qualify for cardiac rehabilitation:
- A percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), also known as angioplasty.
- Myocardial infarction (heart attack).
- Stable angina.
- Bypass surgery.
- Heart valve surgery.
- Heart transplant.
- Peripheral artery disease.
- Some insurance plans may also cover Phase II cardiac rehabilitation for individuals diagnosed with heart failure.
If a person has had any of these, his or her physician may prescribe cardiac rehabilitation.
Optimal Health treatment program
Our OH! (Optimal Health) program gives individuals the tools they need to stay healthy and fit in a safe, non-threatening environment. Participants attend the program three days a week and work with our professional staff, which includes a cardiologist, a registered nurse, an exercise physiologist, a therapy technician and a dietitian.
The Optimal Health program includes:
- A detailed health assessment prior to starting the program
- Professionally prescribed and supervised exercise
- Lifestyle education
- A dietary consultation
- Weight management
- Accountability resources
A physician order is required to participate. Our staff can assist in facilitating this with your doctor.
Additional Providers
- Jacob Stone, MSEP, CSCS, CCRP, Program Supervisor
- Jamie Fannin, MS, EP-C
- Nancy Kessler, RN
- Katelyn King, MSEP, CCRP
- Shorus M. Minella, RD, LD - Dietitian
- Craig Staub, BS, EP-C
- Janna Villanueva, CST
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