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Cardiac Rehabilitation

Introduction to the Rehabilitation and Exercise Testing Department
Cardiac Rehabilitation
Programs Offered in This Department
Prevention and Health Promotion Clinic
Remote Rehabilitation System

Introduction to the Rehabilitation and Exercise Testing Department

Dr. Majid Maleki Head of the Rehabilitation and Exercise Testing Department

Cardiac rehabilitation is a set of medical services that includes lifestyle modification toward a healthy lifestyle and health promotion programs for patients, such as controlling cardiovascular risk factors, ultimately improving their quality of life.

Structure and Team of the Cardiac Rehabilitation Department of Rajaie Cardiovascular Medical and Research Center

Cardiac Rehabilitation Physician
Psychological Counseling Unit
Nutrition Counseling Unit
Physiotherapy Unit
Nursing Unit
Patient and Family Education Unit
EECP Section
Training halls equipped with advanced exercise equipment with central monitoring capability

Department Services

Inpatient Phase
This phase is performed for hospitalized cardiac patients and includes consultation and visits by the cardiac rehabilitation physician, as well as nursing care, psychological counseling, nutrition support, and physiotherapy services.

Outpatient Phase
This phase is for patients referred from outside the hospital or clinics, as well as patients previously treated in the inpatient phase.

💡 The outpatient phase is the main stage of cardiac rehabilitation.

This phase is initiated 4 weeks after cardiac surgery, 6 weeks after myocardial infarction, and 10 days after angioplasty.

In this stage, patients referred by cardiologists and surgeons undergo registration, exercise testing, and cardiovascular evaluation at the cardiac clinic. Based on exercise test results and previous records, a personalized exercise prescription is provided for each patient (including intensity, duration, and number of sessions).

Due to the importance of cardiac rehabilitation, sessions are conducted by a multidisciplinary team consisting of cardiology and rehabilitation specialists, as well as nursing, physiotherapy, nutrition, and psychology experts who answer patients’ questions in various fields.

Cardiac Rehabilitation

Cardiac rehabilitation programs are usually offered through hospitals. This is a medical care program that helps you learn how to live with heart disease and return to a full and satisfying life. Although the program is time-limited, it helps speed up your recovery.

A rehabilitation program typically lasts three months and is divided into four phases: hospitalization, early recovery (2 to 12 weeks after returning home), late recovery (6 to 12 weeks or longer), and the maintenance phase.

💡 The maintenance phase lasts for the rest of your life, during which positive lifestyle changes become permanent and you return to normal daily activities.

Cardiac rehabilitation will help you in the following ways

Gradually increasing your physical activity level to strengthen your heart.
Changing cooking methods and diet (low-fat and low-cholesterol diet).
Creating a plan to balance diet and physical activity in order to control weight.
Receiving counseling and support to quit smoking.
Learning various techniques (such as yoga, meditation, or massage) to manage stress.
Addressing the emotional and psychological aspects of life changes and interacting with people facing similar challenges.

Programs Offered in This Department

Medical consultation by a cardiac rehabilitation physician, general check-up, and risk factor control such as hypertension (HTN), hyperlipidemia (HLP), and diabetes mellitus (DM).
If needed, referral for consultation and examination to specialized cardiology and internal medicine clinics.
Smoking cessation and avoidance of other harmful substances.
Management of psychological conditions and disorders that negatively affect the cardiovascular system (stress, anxiety, depression, etc.).
Relaxation sessions.
Nutrition counseling program, diet therapy, and weight management.
Physiotherapy program and consultation for appropriate physical activities.
Nursing care services.
Standard medical exercise programs using modern equipped devices with cardiac monitoring, based on exercise test results, prior treatments (such as PTCA and CABG), and each patient’s specific cardiac condition.

💡 Cardiac rehabilitation programs are provided for all cardiac patients, whether or not they have undergone surgical procedures such as CABG or PTCA.

Prevention and Health Promotion Clinic

This is one of the unique clinics of the center, where cardiovascular disease prevention services and health promotion are provided.
Considering modifiable risk factors of chronic diseases, this clinic focuses on screening and identifying risk factors such as high blood cholesterol, high blood pressure, overweight and obesity, physical inactivity, metabolic syndrome, diabetes, and more.
This clinic also helps improve health awareness and empower patients and their companions through educational videos, pamphlets, booklets, and training classes.

Cardiovascular Disease Risk Factors

Some risk factors are controllable, while others are not. The greater the number of risk factors, the higher the likelihood of developing cardiovascular disease.
Non-Modifiable Risk Factors
- Gender: Men are more likely than women to experience heart attacks at a younger age. After menopause, the risk increases in women.
- Age: More than 80% of people who die from cardiovascular diseases are over 65 years old.
- Genetics: Cardiovascular diseases can run in families, and individuals with a family history are at higher risk at a younger age.
Major Modifiable, Treatable, or Controllable Risk Factors
- High blood cholesterol: Elevated cholesterol levels directly increase the risk of cardiovascular diseases.
- High blood pressure (hypertension): Increases the risk of coronary artery disease, heart attack, kidney failure, and stroke.
- Obesity and overweight: Increases cardiac workload and worsens hypertension and diabetes.
- Physical inactivity: A sedentary lifestyle increases the risk of obesity, dyslipidemia, and diabetes.
- Diabetes mellitus type 2: About 65–75% of diabetic patients die due to cardiovascular diseases.
- Smoking: Increases heart rate and arterial constriction, and raises the risk of blood clots and stroke.
- Early menopause: Associated with a higher risk of coronary artery disease.
Other Contributing Factors
- Stress: Especially in some individuals, stress increases heart rate and blood pressure and can damage arteries.
- Alcohol: Alcohol consumption may increase blood pressure and negatively affect cholesterol and triglyceride levels.
- Oral contraceptives: May increase the risk of cardiovascular disease, especially in smokers, hypertensive patients, and individuals over 35 years old.