Advances in cardiovascular care have come a long way, but to be most effective, new medications and procedures must be accompanied by a change in patient lifestyles.
That’s the impetus behind Abrazo Arizona Heart Hospital’s new cardiac rehabilitation services.
Abrazo’s comprehensive program includes customized, medically supervised exercise training and heart-healthy education to patients with a variety of cardiovascular conditions.
“Some patients are recovering from heart attacks, while others have congenital defects, cardiomyopathy, valve disorders and other conditions,” said Tammy Querrey, acute care nurse practitioner and director of the hospital’s Cardiovascular Centers of Excellence.
Sessions vary in length of time and frequency depending on each patient’s unique needs. All sessions are supervised by a registered nurse and an exercise physiologist.
During the first stage of the program, which could be three to six months, patients are connected to exercise machines to monitor their heart rate, blood pressure and other vital signs. Some patients who experience the benefits of cardiac rehab opt to continue with a maintenance program on a self-pay basis, Querrey said.
Clinical research has shown cardiac rehabilitation reduces mortality by more than 50 percent compared with those patients who do not participate, according to the American Heart Association. The AHA also notes that participation in cardiac rehab can reduce the likelihood of hospital readmissions by 25 percent.
For more information, visit www.AbrazoHealth.com or call 844-813-5954.
