Cardiopulmonary Services
Cardiology and pulmonary services at Norton King's Daughters' Health work together as a single department. This provides patients easy access to both heart and lung services at one location. We call it cardiopulmonary services.
Reviewed 9/7/2022
7 FACTS & MYTHS ABOUT CARDIAC REHABILITATION
Cardiac rehabilitation is a good idea for almost anyone who's had a heart event, surgery or procedure. Cardiac rehab teaches you how to avoid further heart problems.
Cardiac rehab has proven health benefits. Unfortunately, many people who are eligible for the program don't take part.
Read up on some of the myths and facts about cardiac rehab below. If you think you or a family member might benefit, ask your doctor about the program.
FACT: You need a referral from your doctor for cardiac rehab.
You may benefit from a referral to cardiac rehab if you’ve experienced one or more of the following:
- Heart attack.
- Heart condition such as coronary artery disease, angina or heart failure.
- Heart procedure or surgery such as angioplasty, valve replacement or bypass surgery.
If your doctor hasn’t brought up cardiac rehab, ask about it at your next visit.
MYTH: Health insurance doesn’t usually cover cardiac rehab.
Medicare and most other insurance providers pay for cardiac rehab for people who are eligible for it. If you're a candidate for rehab, talk to your medical team and your insurance provider to find out if it's covered.
FACT: Regular exercise is an important part of cardiac rehab.
A cardiac rehab specialist will design a physical activity program tailored to your abilities. You will be closely monitored throughout to make sure your heart is handling the load.
Other vital parts of cardiac rehab include:
- Heart-healthy eating.
- Stress reduction.
- Quitting smoking.
- Drug therapy.
MYTH: You can be too old to benefit from cardiac rehab.
Cardiac rehab is about more than living longer. It’s about living a high-quality life right now. Ask your doctor how cardiac rehab can be customized to your age and abilities.
FACT: The main goal of cardiac rehab is to help keep you from developing or dying from heart problems.
Cardiac rehab can:
- Lower the risk for a second heart attack or surgery.
- Reduce your overall risk of dying or having a future cardiac event.
- Help you manage risk factors like high blood pressure and cholesterol levels.
- Help you lose weight.
- Lessen chest pain.
MYTH: Cardiac rehab is only about improving physical health.
In addition to helping your body, cardiac rehab will also help you address the emotional aspects of having a heart problem or recovering after surgery. Your rehab team may include specialists like mental health professionals or social workers who focus specifically on this.
MYTH: Cardiac rehab is something you’ll do for the rest of your life.
Though the exact program will vary according to your needs, cardiac rehab usually lasts around three months, with sessions occurring several times a week.
Learn more about your heart
Visit our Heart Health topic center to learn more about taking care of your heart.
Sources
- American College of Cardiology. "Cardiac Rehabilitation." (graphic) https://www.cardiosmart.org/topics/cardiac-rehabilitation/assets/infographic/cardiac-rehabilitation.
- American College of Cardiology. "Cardiac Rehabilitation." https://www.cardiosmart.org/topics/cardiac-rehabilitation.
- American Heart Association. "Am I Eligible for Cardiac Rehab?" https://www.heart.org/en/health-topics/cardiac-rehab/am-i-eligible-for-cardiac-rehab.
- American Heart Association. "Cardiac Rehab: Frequently Asked Questions." https://www.heart.org/en/health-topics/cardiac-rehab/cardiac-rehab-faq.
- American Heart Association. "Just 1 in 4 Medicare Recipients Participate in Cardiac Rehab." https://www.heart.org/en/news/2020/01/14/just-1-in-4-medicare-recipients-participate-in-cardiac-rehab.
Cardiopulmonary services provides a wide range of heart and pulmonary procedures, including:
- Pulmonary function testing.
- EKG.
- Stress testing.
- Graded exercise.
- Nuclear stress.
- Pharmacological nuclear stress.
- Stress echo.
- Cardiac ultrasonography (ultrasound).
- Transesophageal echo.
- 2-D/M mode.
- Doppler.
- Color flow.
- Ambulatory cardiac monitoring.
- Holter monitoring.
- EEG (brain wave test).
- Vascular testing (carotid testing, lower and upper venous imaging, lower and upper arterial testing).
All diagnostic procedures are performed by teams members who are certified and registered through CCI or ARDMS. The vascular lab at King's Daughters' Health is nationally accredited through the ICAVL (Intersocietal Commission for the Accreditation of Vascular Laboratories).
Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation
Cardiac and pulmonary rehab services are based on exercise, education and social support. In most cases, insurance/Medicare will cover the early phases of the rehabilitation program.
Benefits of cardiopulmonary rehab include:
- Improved quality of life.
- Improved physical function.
- Lower risk of death.
- Decreased risk of depression.
These patients include those who have had a heart attack, bypass surgery, valve replacement or angioplasty; heart transplant recipients; those with chronic heart failure; and those with PVD (peripheral vascular disease).
Includes those with asthma, COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease), emphysema, chronic bronchitis, pulmonary fibrosis or lung cancer.