My name is Stuart Russell.
I am a cardiologist.
I work at Johns Hopkins.
I run the Heart Failure & Transplant Program
but also I'm the Director of Cardiac
Rehab out at Green Spring Station.
So Cardiac Rehab is essentially exercise
training as well as kind of some teaching
both in diet and in healthy lifestyle.
It's shown to be of benefit to people that
have heart attacks, that have had
stents, angioplasty for chest pain,
those that have had cardiac surgery.
It really helps to decrease readmissions,
improve quality of life, and most
importantly decrease mortality.
When they're discharged from the hospital
they're given a referral for this.
Unfortunately that doesn't happen as often
as it should, probably less than 50%
of the people who would benefit from it
actually get referred for cardiac rehab.
Most insurances will cover this,
certainly the populations where the
studies have been done have showed
benefit, almost every time the insurance
company will cover it.
My name is Sara Evans and I am the
Program Manager for Cardiac Rehab.
Cardiac Rehab is a 12-week, 36-visit program.
We have patients that are 98 years old
that come in and go through the Cardiac
Rehab Program and gain just as much benefit
as the 30-year-olds that have come
through the program.
We are master exercise physiologists
certified through the American College
of Sports Medicine and we all have
a background in cardiac rehab.
We have sort of a small boutique center
which was designed for that purpose so
that we can work individually
with each patient's needs.
You're monitored the entire time, your
EKG is being monitored, your blood
pressure is being monitored, your heart
rate's being monitored at all times.
If you're compliant with the program you'll
get great results no matter who you are.
I think that it's important for each and
every patient out there to know that this
program is so valuable to them and that
they can get good results and they can
change their life.
