UT Southwestern Medical Center’s cardiac rehabilitation program is a critical component of a patient’s recovery and can prevent future heart disease. Our rehabilitation specialists can show patients how heart therapy can reduce the risk of a heart attack or the need for surgical procedures to treat their condition. In addition, patients will feel better about their ability to engage in daily functions as well as job and recreational activities.

Rehabilitation specialists include cardiologists, registered nurses, exercise physiologists, physical therapists, nutritionists and pharmacists. UT Southwestern’s heart therapy programs are designed according to a patient’s specific needs, including specialized programs for:

• Cardiomyopathy
• Coronary angioplasty or stent procedure
• Recent bypass surgery
• Recent heart attack
• Recent valve surgery
• Stable angina

Specialists work with patients as partners in their rehabilitation and develop customized rehabilitation plans that integrate nutrition, exercise and smoking cessation programs with the more enjoyable parts of their daily routine. Patients receive a personalized exercise program based on specific needs, including continuous electrocardiogram monitoring, blood pressure monitoring, a precise exercise program with a gradual increase in activity level and peer support.

By tracking each patient’s progress and providing ongoing encouragement to continue with the rehabilitation program, specialists motivate patients to overcome obstacles to improved health. Our staff closely monitors the patient’s individualized program and prescribes the needed follow-up tests to confirm that the patient is on a steady path to improved health.

UT Southwestern’s cardiac rehabilitation specialists provide education and background knowledge patients need to fully understand heart disease and how the efforts they make will promote their continued well-being. By working together, dramatic results can be achieved − reducing hypertension and cholesterol levels, recovering from surgery and embarking on lifestyle changes that will improve a patient’s outlook on the future.