For patients who have an acute myocardial infarction (heart attack), bypass surgery or after angioplasty and stent, the job is not complete until they undergo cardiac rehab to restore them to their optimal condition.
Wheeling Hospital’s Cardiac Rehabilitation Program, begun in October 1978, is the second oldest such program in the State of West Virginia. Currently, the program serves 400 patients each year. The program moved to the Howard Long Wellness Center in 1994 when open-heart surgery was started at Wheeling Hospital.
The rehab program includes nurses, exercise physiologists, dieticians and diabetic educators. An onsite physician is available during the rehab sessions.
Rehab care for individuals with coronary artery disease reduces the need for readmission, enhances the quality of life and raises chance of survival. Cardiac rehab provides supervised exercise training and telemetry monitoring, psychological support and educational classes that focus on risk factor modification.
Cardiac rehabilitation programs are designed to limit the physiological and psychological effects of a diagnosis of cardiac disease; reduce the risk for sudden death or relapse; control cardiac symptoms; stabilize and/or improve the patient’s condition; and enhance the patient’s quality of life.
Mission
The mission of cardiac rehab is to provide cutting-edge programs of cardiac conditioning and education to those with coronary artery disease and their families that will help the10m make appropriate lifestyle changes and progress toward their personal level of optimal physical, psychological, vocational and social well-being. The therapists work with physician-referred patients to return them to a normal active life following heart attack, open heart surgery or any other hospitalization for heart problems.
Appointments
National Certification
Wheeling Hospital’s Cardiac Rehabilitation Program is nationally certified by the American Association of Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Rehabilitation, recognized for meeting essential requirements for patient care.