Following heart surgery or a heart procedure, patients undergo a comprehensive program of exercise, risk factor modification and heart health education in the Cardiac Rehabilitation Program. Individual rehabilitation plans are designed to help patients get back on their feet. The program combines state-of-the-art exercise equipment with individualized patient education and exercise guidelines provided by certified staff. Our professional team includes registered nurses, exercise physiologists, registered dietary staff and behavioral health experts.
Upon discharge, patients begin the outpatient phase in which our specially trained staff develops an individualized rehabilitation plan designed to improve cardiovascular health and musculoskeletal strength. The length of the outpatient phase is determined by both exercise and educational goal attainment.
In addition to exercise, Cardiac Rehabilitation provides heart health education. Our health care professionals provide vital information about heart disease, risk factor management, proper nutrition and weight management, understanding exercise, heart disease treatments and stress management.
Patients seeking cardiac rehabilitation services must first get a prescription from a cardiologist or from their primary care physician. Prior to starting a cardiac rehabilitation program, patients should verify insurance coverage.
Qualifying diagnosis for cardiac rehabilitation, include:
- Angioplasty
- Coronary artery bypass
- Cardiac stent placement
- Cardiac transplant
- Chronic heart failure
- Heart attack (within the last 12 months)
- Heart valve surgery
- Stable angina
Intensive Cardiac Rehabilitation
Our Intensive Cardiac Rehabilitation (ICR) Program takes a holistic approach to patient recovery after a cardiac event. We have collaborated with Pritikin to offer ICR in our health network and have earned certification as an ICR Program. ICR builds on traditional cardiac rehabilitation by offering more education and nutritional workshops, in addition to heart healthy exercise. Our ICR Program follows three key pillars: Getting regular exercise, creating a healthy eating plan and having a healthy mindset.
By developing these skills through ICR, patients learn how to foster an overall healthy lifestyle that leads to a healthy heart and improved quality of life.
More Resources for Long-Term Heart Health
One advantage of intensive cardiac rehabilitation is that patients have the option to attend up to 72 sessions, compared to 36 sessions in traditional cardiac rehabilitation. This increased opportunity for education provides more resources and opportunities to carry out a healthy lifestyle going forward. In addition, ICR places an emphasis on healthy eating for the heart, helping patients change eating habits, while learning through educational cooking demonstrations.
Average Outcomes for Intensive Cardiac Rehabilitation Patients
The ICR program is available through a collaboration with Pritikin, the results of which have been documented in more than 100 peer-reviewed studies, leading to its approval by Medicare. These results include:
9% decrease in systolic and diastolic blood pressure
19% decrease in fasting glucose among diabetic patients
20% decrease in cholesterol
23% decrease in LDL cholesterol and 33% decrease in triglyceride levels
Approximate 40% decrease in chronic inflammation
An average weight loss of 7-11 pounds among overweight patients
Getting started
Similar to traditional cardiac rehabilitation, a physician referral following a qualifying diagnosis is needed to start intensive cardiac rehabilitation. Qualifying diagnoses for intensive cardiac rehabilitation are the same as those listed above for cardiac rehabilitation.
Our Facility
Froedtert Holy Family Memorial Hospital offers cardiac rehabilitation and intensive cardiac rehabilitation, with a facility that includes several types of exercise equipment for all body types and abilities. In our kitchen demonstration area, you will also learn about healthy eating and healthy ways to cook.
