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Topic Overview

Cardiac rehabilitation phase I starts while you are in the hospital and emphasizes exercise and education.

The parts of phase I include:

• A customized exercise program, based on your medical history, clinical condition, and symptoms.
• Discharge instructions about recovery activities.
• Education on lifestyle changes and how to lower your risk of future heart problems.
• Ways to help your body recover and:
  • Increase appetite and strength.
  • Increase aerobic capacity.
  • Increase lung capacity.
  • If you had a heart transplant, avoid rejection of your new heart.

Your rate of recovery depends on age, gender, and other health conditions. Depending upon your condition and how you respond to rehab, you may stay in a particular phase or move back and forth among the various phases. There is no set length of time that you must stay in a specific phase.

Your hospital rehab staff should be able to provide you with information and resources for making the transition from hospital to home. This includes how to find a cardiac rehab phase II program in your community.

Exercise program

The following exercises are examples. Your exercise program depends on your medical history, clinical status, and symptoms. Discuss with your doctor any additional physical limitations or medical issues before beginning any exercise program.

A phase I cardiac rehab exercise program should progress from initial supportive and self-care activities to regular daily walking.

• You will start with easy activities, such as sitting up in a chair and walking, as soon as you are able. Early activity is important, because you lose muscle strength very quickly when you stay in bed.
• As you become stronger, you might be active 2 or 3 times a day for 5 to 20 minutes each time, depending on your condition. A member of the rehab staff will monitor your heart rate to be sure it doesn't get too high while you walk or slowly climb stairs.
• How long you stay in the hospital depends on what problem, procedure, or surgery you had. Your cardiac rehab program might be 3 to 5 days in the hospital, including transition to home-based activities. If you had an open-heart surgery, you will likely be in the hospital longer.