Whether you’ve had a heart attack or been diagnosed with mild heart failure, you can understandably feel distressed. However, it is important to not let fear and worry prevent you from taking the necessary steps to heal and strengthen your heart.

“For many people, a heart attack is a wake-up call. But for others, it’s more like a red flag,” says Hicham, associate director of the Cardiac Rehabilitation Program at Harvard Brigham and Women’s Hospital. Dr. Scali says. .

Stopping or avoiding physical activity instead of starting or resuming an exercise commitment.

“Some people believe that if you have a heart condition, you need to be careful and rest, but that’s a big misconception,” Dr. Scali says.

Exercise is one of the most important actions you can take to avoid early heart disease as well as prevent all forms of heart disease from worsening.

“As long as you exercise safely, the benefits far outweigh the risks,” says Dr. Scali. Your age, current fitness level, and diagnosis will influence what is most meaningful to you. But anyone can exercise, and even a small amount can make a difference, he added.

cardiac rehabilitation

According to an article in Harvard Health, many people with heart disease are eligible for cardiac rehabilitation, which typically includes an initial evaluation that includes an exercise stress test. This test is performed on a treadmill or stationary bike and helps assess your heart and body’s response to exercise, helping your rehabilitation team make recommendations for safe and effective physical activity.

Although cardiac rehabilitation programs may be difficult for some people to access, hybrid programs with online sessions may be available.

Alternatively, you can ask your health care provider to prescribe an exercise stress test for peace of mind before you begin your exercise regimen. Some people may continue to exercise voluntarily without needing a stress test if they are judged to be healthy.

After procedure

After any medical procedure, it is important to wait for your doctor’s approval before resuming exercise. After angioplasty, you usually return to normal activities within two days, but recovery time may be longer after a heart attack.

Open heart surgery usually takes a month or more to fully recover, but exercise should not be avoided during this time. Research shows that starting cardiac rehabilitation within 2 weeks after surgery can be as effective and safe as waiting 6 weeks.

Take it easy at first, starting with short walks multiple times a day and gradually increasing the length of time and increasing your activity level over time. It’s very important to monitor how you feel, and if you feel comfortable, you can incorporate brisk walking or jogging and gradually increase the intensity.

rest as needed

Even people who have never exercised and have some serious health problems can still exercise. “We have patients who have heart failure and obesity who say they can’t walk for more than a minute,” Dr. Scali says.

His advice is to place chairs at either end of the driveway or as short a distance as possible. Move back and forth between the chairs and sit down to rest as needed. Try to do 4 laps in the morning and 4 more laps in the afternoon. “Just 30 seconds at a time is enough for him to progress,” he says. Also, regardless of your fitness level, if you feel dizzy, weak, or short of breath, be sure to stop or slow down.