Heart disease affects more than 17 million people and is still one of the top killers in the United States. Pulmonary disease, just behind cardiac conditions in seriousness, is on the rise and can have severe debilitating effects on those who suffer from it. The need for cardiac and pulmonary rehabilitation treatment is essential to improve a patient’s quality of life and to help prevent future heart or lung recurrences.
Since 1985, the High Point Medical Center Heart Strides program has been helping patients with cardiac disease. In 1998, a pulmonary component was added to support patients with lung disorders, and the program became Heart Strides Cardiac and Pulmonary Rehabilitation Program. Today the program helps more than 300 patients per year in High Point, Greensboro and Winston-Salem.
Industry statistics show significant reduction (20-50 percent) in recurrences and health care costs for patients completing cardiac or pulmonary rehab versus those without rehabilitation. Eighty-five percent of Heart Strides participants complete the program, and 40 percent continue into the maintenance phase of the program.
Heart Strides Cardiac Rehabilitation
Cardiac rehabilitation is a medically supervised wellness program, which improves the survival in some patients afflicted with heart disease by more than 50 percent, according to a recent Mayo Clinic study.
If you’ve recently had a heart attack, heart-related surgery or been diagnosed with stable angina, or heart disease, the Heart Strides Cardiac Rehabilitation program can help to restore your physical strength and endurance, and improve your overall health.
Situated within the hospital’s Fitness Center, and supervised by a professional staff of cardiologists, nurses, exercise physiologists, dieticians and mental health counselors, Heart Strides offers the heart patient a pathway to a better quality of life. Utilizing structured exercise progressions, an informative education component and lifestyle awareness tools, the Heart Strides program establishes a good foundation for participants to make healthier lifestyle choices, leading to a more productive future. The exercise is done in a supervised group setting with each participant having a personalized exercise prescription based on their health concerns and fitness level.
Benefits Of Attending Heart Strides
The Heart Strides Program includes a weekly educational component covering topics such as:
- How the heart works
- Cardiac medications
- Signs and symptoms of a heart attack
- Awareness of risks and ways to improve cardiac health
- Benefits of exercise
- Diet and its impact on cardiac health
- Stress management
Other benefits of the program include:
- A personalized exercise plan designed to improve the level of fitness, reduce the risks associated with heart disease and improve the quality of life.
- Assessment of dietary habits and quality of life perceptions related to heart disease.
- Monitoring of heart rate, blood pressure and heart rhythm
- Group support and motivation
Heart Strides is noted for its compassionate and caring team approach to meet the individual needs and goals of each participant. To enter Heart Strides you must have a physician’s order.
Cardiac rehabilitation is covered by most insurance companies including Medicare. Limited scholarships are also available based on financial need.
Heart Strides Pulmonary Rehabilitation
This is a multi-disciplinary program of care for patients with chronic respiratory impairment that is individually tailored and designed to optimize positive outcomes and a better quality of life.
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a progressive disease of the airways that is characterized by a gradual loss of lung function. The term COPD includes chronic bronchitis, asthma or emphysema, or combinations of these conditions. It represents the fourth leading cause of death in the United States.
Pulmonary rehabilitation will:
- Help to reduce the impact of COPD and other chronic lung diseases
- Help to control symptoms and improve your ability to participate in day-to-day activities
- Help to restore the ability to function independently
- Provide emotional support
- Educate patients about how to manage their disease better
- Lung disease does not just make you short of breath, it affects your whole life.
Pulmonary rehabilitation is a service that provides group exercise and educational sessions, designed to meet the individual needs and goals of each participant. Using a team approach, our patients work closely with doctors, nurses, respiratory therapists, exercise specialists, dietitians and others to improve their day-to-day lives. Pulmonary rehabilitation meets 3 days a week in the Fitness Center.
Pulmonary rehab is covered by Medicare and most insurance companies. Limited scholarships are also available based on financial need.