Cardiac Rehab Program

The Heart Care Cardiac Rehab is the only on site Cardiologist supervised program in the Durham region.

“Cardiac Wellness Centre” has a multidisciplinary - multi Institutional team of Cardiologists from Lakeridgehealth, Oshawa Clinic and Cardiac Surgeons of Toronto General Hospital.

Our team of experienced professionals include:
Cardiologist
Cardiac Nurse
Kinesiologist
Lifestyle Councellor
Psychologist

The Rehab team works together with your own family doctor, internist, cardiologist, pharmacist.

Our Cardiac Prevention and Rehabilitation program has short term and long term goals for patients with various heart conditions. The short term goals include physical reconditioning to achieve their maximum level of fitness to resume normal activities, education of patient and famliy about the disease process and psychological support during the early recovery phase of the illness.

The long term goals include identifying and treating risk factors which influence progression of disease, teaching and reinforcing the health behaviors that improve prognosis, optimizing physical conditioning and facilitating a return to occupational and pleasure activities.

Who Benefits from a Cardiac Rehab program?
Recommended for persons:

• After Heart Attack, Angina
• After Coronary Bypass surgery or Angioplasty and Stent insertion
• Stable congestive heart failure
• Other disabling heart conditions

How to Register
It is easy to enroll in the Cardiac rehab program. One can be referred by his family doctor, specialist and health care professionals, disability insurance professionals or even self referral. Patients usually start one week after referral.

Assessment
Full assessment by a Cardiologist.
Baseline Risk Stratification, Treadmill stress test and cardiac risk factor evaluation
Review of Medication

Exercise
Assessment by Kinesiologist
Assessment by Cardiac Nurse
Learn to exercise regularly, safely and comfortably.

When to Start
Most patients can start exercise program 4-8 weeks after heart attack or cardiac surgery.

Duration
Acute Phase: 2-4 months
Maintenance Phase: six month exercise program at Heart Care facility.
Education: On going by the Cardiac Nurse with each visit. Regular semi-formal sessions conducted by Cardiologist and Life-style Councellor, open to patient and family. Topics cover the understanding of the heart disease process, medications, cholestrol, high blood pressure, stress and life-style change.

“We want our patients to start as soon as possible” says Dr. Rakesh Bhargava, Cardiologist and Director of Heart Care. “Delays in joining Cardiac Rehab after attack and Surgery increases the patients risk period and delays return to good health and life style. When choosing a Rehab program, patient should ask:

• Is there a dedicated Cardiologist directly involved with the program?
• Is there direct access to your health records on site?
• Level of monitoring and supervision.
• Is your Cardiac history accessible to supervising health care team? On computer? Is there direct access to your hospital records?
• Visit different programs before signing up.

“The patient should always compare different programs before signing up,” says Dr. Bhargava. Check out the difference between “Free” program and Heart Care Rehab where Cardiologist consultation and diagnostic test are covered by OHIP but there is a membership fee. The membership fee is waived for all patients who had a heart attack, bypass surgery or angioplasty in preceding four months.

The Cardiac Wellness Center is conveniently located with free parking at 372 King Street West, Oshawa. Phone: 905-720-0999