After a heart attack, heart surgery or stent placement—or if you’ve been diagnosed with heart failure—the Cardiac Rehabilitation Program at Prowers Medical Center is here to help you recover close to home.

“Our goal is to help people return to their normal lives with a good baseline of health and fitness,” said Callie Gadash, Registered Respiratory Therapist and Prowers Medical Center’s Cardiopulmonary Manager.

Cardiac rehab is a class that meets three mornings a week at the Prowers Medical Center rehab gym. Depending on the severity of their health issues, patients attend cardiac rehab for four to 12 weeks.

The program is overseen by Dr. Jennifer England. Each class is led by Kristen Castle, a Cardiac Nurse. Sessions last about an hour and include supervised exercise and health education. A customized exercise plan is developed for each patient and generally includes both aerobic exercises—such as walking on a treadmill or using a NuStep or arm bike—and some strength training with dumbbells and weight machines.

Interested in Cardiac Rehab?

For more information on cardiac rehabilitation at Prowers Medical Center, call 719-336-6731 or visit prowersmedical.com.

While they are exercising, cardiac rehab patients are continuously monitored. They wear portable devices that measure their heart rate and rhythm. This ensures that their hearts are safe and responding well to the activity. The staff also checks patients’ blood pressure, blood oxygen levels and, if needed, blood glucose.

“Exercising with this level of supervision gives our heart patients confidence,” Gadash said. “They still have to pay attention to their bodies, but they learn that they can exercise safely. And gradually, after a few sessions, they realize they’re getting their strength back. You start to see their color improving. And then they start feeling better. ‘This is the best I’ve felt in a really long time,’ they often say. It’s so rewarding for us to see.”

In addition to exercise, cardiac rehab includes patient education. Patients receive informational handouts on a range of health topics, and staff is available to answer questions and guide each patient to help them achieve their goals. Stress management, dietary choices, medication compliance and mood challenges are among the many topics covered. Those who are interested can also set up a consultation with the dietitian at Prowers Medical Center.

Gadash said that cardiac rehab patients are often motivated to work toward better health. “For many, a heart attack or other cardiac event woke them up. They realize they need to take better care of themselves.”

Cardiac rehab not only helps patients recover after a heart event, but it also helps prevent future problems.

“Cardiac rehab is really a lifestyle change to healthier living,” Gadash added. “We really want our patients to continue to exercise and work on other wellness goals after they’ve completed rehab. We’re here to help them jumpstart that change.”

Cardiac rehab is covered by Medicare and some private insurance plans. Pre-authorizations are conducted so patients are aware of their coverage before they begin rehab.