Cardiac rehabilitation supports patients with a heart condition or who experienced a cardiovascular event

Individuals diagnosed with a heart condition or who have experienced a heart attack, angioplasty or open-heart surgery, as well as patients with peripheral artery disease (PAD) should consider participating in cardiac rehabilitation in Dallas.

The team of healthcare professionals at the Walter I. Berman Cardiovascular Prevention and Cardiac Rehabilitation Center – Dallas includes registered nurses, clinical exercise physiologists and registered dietitians. Combining years of experience treating heart patients with insight gained from research, the Dallas cardiac rehabilitation team shares best practices with hospitals across the U.S. and countries around the world.

Showcasing the cardiac rehabilitation team’s dedication is the recent certification granted by the American Association of Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Rehabilitation (AACVPR). AACVPR is dedicated to the professional development of its members through information, networking and educational opportunities. Central to its mission is the improvement in the quality of life for heart patients and their families.

Benefits of cardiac rehabilitation

If you have a heart condition or have experienced a cardiovascular event, cardiac rehabilitation in Dallas can help by:

  • Strengthening and conditioning the heart and lungs
  • Controlling weight and lowering total cholesterol levels
  • Understanding medications, the signs and symptoms of heart and lung disease, as well as when to seek medical attention
  • Reducing symptoms and chances of experiencing another cardiac event or lung disease
  • Achieving an earlier return to work and daily activities
  • Developing coping and stress-reduction skills, as well as relaxation and breathing techniques
  • Increasing self-confidence
  • Laying the groundwork for the development of a healthier lifestyle
  • Providing emotional support for the heart patient and his or her family

What to expect during cardiac rehabilitation activity sessions

Participants typically spend six to 12 weeks in cardiac rehabilitation, attending three sessions per week at our heart center in Dallas. The length of the cardiovascular rehab program may depend upon the individual patient’s goals, the progress of recovery or the physician’s recommendation.

During the cardiac rehabilitation activity sessions, the program team will monitor you with an electrocardiograph (ECG) telemetry system that informs them of how you and your heart are reacting and adapting to activity. You'll also learn how to take your pulse, determine your exercise intensity and exercise at a level that allows you to receive maximum benefits.

  • SET for PAD sessions

    During SET for PAD sessions, patients are encouraged to complete three exercise sessions per week supervised by an interdisciplinary team of nurses, exercise physiologist and dietitian. Patients are encouraged to reach a pain tolerance level and improve upon it at each session to build strength and exercise tolerance. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid recognize this therapy when referred by a physician, and most insurance plans cover the treatment with pre-authorization.

Types of cardiac rehabilitation activity sessions available in Dallas

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The Return to Work Lab®

Unique to the program, The Return to Work Lab® helps the cardiovascular patient return to their work life, whether that be a fireman, pilot, mechanic or recreational sport.

The cardiac rehab team initiates a heart care plan using the actual equipment and tools the patient would need to handle in their daily work as equipment in the rehabilitation process.

The plans also involve nutritional counseling, social support and lifestyle education.

Whether the patient is in the early stages of heart disease or a heart transplant recipient, individualized goals are set and milestones are celebrated along the way.

Keep Your Move In The Tube®

Keep Your Move In The Tube® is an innovative approach to cardiac rehab for sternotomy patients.

This evidence-based approach teaches patients how to perform load-bearing movements in a way that avoids excess stress to the sternum.

By keeping their “move in the tube,” heart patients can regain their strength faster, often eliminating the cost and time-consuming step of going to skilled nursing, enabling them to immediately begin cardiac rehabilitation and resume their daily activities.

Care for ventricular assist device patients

During the activity sessions, the Dallas Cardiac Rehabilitation Program team will monitor the patient with an electrocardiograph (ECG) telemetry system to keep them informed of how the patient and the patient’s heart is reacting and adapting to activity.

Supervised exercise therapy for pad

Individuals with peripheral artery disease (PAD) are eligible to receive supervised exercise therapy (SET) if diagnosed with PAD caused by arterial insufficiency, and if classic intermittent claudication (IC) is present.

Exercise training helps slow the decline in the ability to function and move through daily activities.

Cardiac rehabilitation resources

Leap for Life®

Take the first leap toward a healthier lifestyle with Baylor Scott & White Health's Leap (Lifestyle Education Awareness Program) for Life® program.

This wellness and disease prevention education program is designed for anyone at risk of cardiovascular disease and their family.

During a Leap for Life® workshop, attendees receive practical and easy to understand information about lifestyle management and steps one can take to reduce the risk of developing future heart problems.

Caring Hearts®

Emotional support is an important part of recovery from a cardiovascular condition, and we think it's important for heart patients in cardiac rehabilitation to learn from the experiences of those who have already completed the program. In the Caring Hearts® program, people who are a year past their own cardiac event, or family members of cardiac patients, volunteer to visit a heart patient and their family before or after a cardiac procedure to offer empathy and support. Volunteers also serve as a liaison for families in the guest waiting areas, providing updates on each patient’s care journey or other assistance for patients and families.

Tap into better heart health with the Baylor Heart Center app

Our refreshed Baylor Heart Center app gives you even more ways to care for your heart on your iPhone, iPad and smartwatch.