Physiotherapy in Cardiac Rehabilitation

[Dr. Sushanta Kumar Ghose]

Introduction
Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is one of the leading causes of death worldwide and is the leading cause of death in the United States.

Cardiac rehabilitation is a complex, interprofessional intervention customized to individual patients with various cardiovascular diseases such as:

• Heart Attack
• Coronary artery disease (CAD)
• Heart failure
• Myocardial infarctions
• Patients who have undergone cardiovascular interventions such as coronary angioplasty or coronary artery bypass grafting etc.

Indication
Cardiac rehabilitation should be offered to all cardiac patients who would benefit:

• Recent myocardial infarction
• Acute coronary artery syndrome
• Chronic stable angina
• Congestive heart failure
• After coronary artery bypass surgery
• After a percutaneous coronary intervention
• Valvular surgery
• Cardiac transplantation etc.

Physiotherapy Treatment
You will benefit from physiotherapy treatment following your cardiac surgery. Physiotherapy will help you enhance your recovery by keeping you active and promoting your independence. Physiotherapy will encourage you to mobilise independently from a very early stage postoperatively. Cardiac rehabilitation after surgery will maximise your potential and help you achieve activities that were previously difficult. Physiotherapy after your operation will increase your cardiovascular fitness and sense of well being and give you a new lease of life. Physiotherapy treatment will take you through a graduated exercise program to help you increase functional abilities and include:

• Reducing anxiety
• Reducing pain
• Muscle strengthening to improve weakness
• Appropriate positioning to aid posture
• Prevention of reduced joint movements
• Increasing range of movement
• Promoting activities of daily living such as walking, climbing the stairs.
• Exercise to increase cardiovascular fitness and endurance
• Advice and support on health and diet
• Devices to help standing and walking if appropriate.
• Teaching transfers (getting in and out of a wheelchair, bed, car, shower/bath and onto and off a toilet).
• Regular chest expansion exercise to increase lung volume and remove chest secretions
• Relaxation techniques to help improve sleep
• Promoting independence

Author: Sushanta Kumar Ghosh, Physiotherapy Specialist, DIU Medical Center