Coronary heart disease is prevalent in Singapore and is one of the primary causes of heart attacks. In fact, there were 11,631 cases in Singapore in 2020, averaging 31 a day. If you or a loved one has had a heart attack before, going for cardiac rehabilitation in Singapore can help heal your heart and aid recovery.
Here is everything you need to know about cardiac rehabilitation.
What is cardiac rehabilitation?
Cardiac rehabilitation, as its name suggests, is designed to help cardiac patients who are recovering from a heart attack, heart failure, heart surgery or any other heart condition get back on their feet earlier.
The programme is offered by healthcare providers such as private physiotherapy centres and hospitals in Singapore.
How is cardiac rehabilitation done?
During cardiac rehabilitation sessions, three central components will be covered:
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Supervised exercises
Physical therapy is an essential aspect of cardiac rehabilitation, helping you to strengthen both your heart and body through supervised exercises. However, not all workouts are suitable – gentle, low-intensity exercises are recommended to assist you in getting your energy and strength back.
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Counselling
Cardiac rehabilitation does not just focus on nursing you back to optimum physical health, but also takes your emotional needs into consideration. Advice to patients and their families will be provided, including lifestyle changes and tips to improve one’s heart health.
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Education
Lastly, patient education rounds up cardiac rehabilitation. Your doctor, physical therapist, dietician or nurse will supply you with information on your condition, follow-up treatments, risk factors and modifications that will help you to care for yourself.
Who needs cardiac rehabilitation?
Cardiac rehabilitation is suitable for you if you have and/or had:
- Heart attack
- Coronary artery disease
- Valvular heart disease
- Heart failure
- Undergone angioplasty, ballooning/stenting or heart surgery
But it is not just for heart patients – it is also good to consider cardiac rehabilitation if you have risk factors like:
- Diabetes
- Hypertension
- Obesity
- High blood cholesterol
- Any other condition that can lead to heart disease
Remember to consult your cardiologist to find out if you are a suitable candidate.
Why is cardiac rehabilitation important?
Undergoing cardiac rehabilitation has a myriad of both short and long-term benefits.
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Prevent recurrence and even death
Cardiac rehabilitation helps to reduce heart attack recurrence by 47% and patients who participated in the programme are 42% less likely to die within an average of eight years.
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Improve mood
With the right help and advice, patients are less likely to feel depressed about their condition. Reducing one’s stress level is also important to prevent recurrences.
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Build healthier habits
Cardiac rehabilitation also encourages patients to lead a healthier lifestyle, such as loading up on more heart-healthy foods and getting more physical activity.
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Enhance patients’ quality of life
With a stronger heart and healthier body, patients’ quality of life gets enhanced when it is no longer challenging to complete daily activities like carrying groceries and climbing stairs.
Learn more: Moving Towards Holistic Health & Better Well-Being
Cardiac rehabilitation in Singapore at Edge Healthcare
Here at Edge Healthcare, we have a team of physical therapists who are committed to helping patients go back to enjoying life even after a heart attack or surgery with cardiac rehabilitation.
