Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation
Patients with heart or lung disease require special rehabilitative care – especially if they are recovering from a heart attack or surgical treatment for their condition. Receiving the right type of follow-up care, in the form of cardiopulmonary rehab, is critical to the ability of these patients to return to their active and fulfilling lives.
The cardiopulmonary rehabilitation services offered at Ringgold County Hospital combine personalized, medically supervised exercise sessions with patient education that is tailored to a person’s specific circumstances. The program’s goal is to help reduce the likelihood of complications of heart or lung disease and return patients to the important activities in their lives, quickly and safely.
Types of Patients We Serve
Patients who may be referred for cardiopulmonary rehab include those diagnosed with or treated for cardiopulmonary conditions, such as:
- Chronic bronchitis
- Chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder (COPD)
- Congestive heart failure
- Emphysema
- Heart arrhythmias
- Heart attack
- Heart valve issues
- Stroke
What We Do
Our cardiopulmonary rehab program is customized for each patient we see. The education offered is a multidisciplinary approach to include your pharmacist, dietician, and physical therapy. Our staff are members of AACUPR to stay up to date with guidelines regarding the best in cardiopulmonary care.
To begin, our trained staff will expertly guide patients through an assessment to evaluate heart or lung function, the risk of complications, and the need for medications, and additional treatment. We also work with patients to increase their understanding of heart or lung disease, their medications, lifestyle changes and when to seek medical attention.
We also work with patients to increase their understanding of heart or lung disease, their medications, and when to seek medical attention.
Cardiac Tests
Some of the tests you may undergo as part of your cardiopulmonary rehabilitation at Ringgold County Hospital include:
An exercise stress test or cardiac stress test measures your heart’s ability to respond to the stress of exercise, in a controlled environment (most often, sensors will be applied to your skin, and you will be asked to run or walk on a treadmill or cycle on a stationary bike). This test measures and records your heart rate and blood pressure during activity.
A nuclear stress test measures how well blood flows to your heart, at rest and during activity – in addition to measuring your heart rate and blood pressure during activity.
Prior to exercising, you will have a small amount of radioactive material injected into your veins and asked to wait for a short period of time, so it can make its way to your heart. A special machine (gamma camera) records images of your heart to identify how well blood circulates to your heart.
You will be asked to exercise, exactly like the exercise stress test, but this time another injection will occur when your heart is working its hardest. After a short wait, images of your heart will be taken again to measure blood flow during activity.
A stress echocardiogram combines an exercise stress test with ultrasound technology, which can record moving images of your heart in action. In most cases, you will receive an ultrasound at rest, and then after exercise. It allows your doctor to compare and assess both your heart function and blood circulation.
Cardiopulmonary Rehab Therapy
The exercises and other therapies that may be included in your cardiopulmonary rehabilitation at Ringgold County Hospital include:
- Phase II Rehab – outpatient cardiac and pulmonary rehab programs are conducted several times a week, typically beginning soon after hospitalization and lasting up to 12 weeks.
- Functional Fitness – a maintenance exercise program for patients with chronic health conditions, including heart and lung disease.
- Supervised Exercise Therapy (SET) – a walking program designed to get patients with peripheral artery disease moving again, without leg pain.
Specialized Heart & Lung Rehab in Mount Ayr, IA
We understand that a recent diagnosis or surgery for heart or lung disease can leave you overwhelmed. That’s why we’re here to help you get back on your feet – with the right combination of medically supervised exercise and education to strengthen the condition of your heart and lungs.
If you have questions about cardiopulmonary rehab at Ringgold County Hospital in Mount Ayr, Iowa, call us at (641)-464-4428.
