How Will I Benefit from Cardiac Rehab?

Recovery is a journey

Following a diagnosis of heart attack or heart failure, or after a procedure such as an angioplasty or heart surgery, participating in cardiac rehab is one of the best things you can do for your heart. Cardiac rehab helps you regain control of your health.

Cardiac rehab doesn’t change your past, but it can help you improve your heart’s future. Every little step you take toward heart health helps you take the next step, and the step after that. Fair warning: It’s not always easy. It’s not always fun.

But cardiac rehab is how you can lower your risk of a second cardiac event. It’s the path to feeling better than before.

Here are a few ways you will benefit from participating in cardiac rehab. You will:

  • Lower your risk of a future cardiac event
  • Eat better
  • Lose weight
  • Return to work
  • Engage in daily activities you might have missed

Still not convinced? Consider what people who have participated in cardiac rehab have to say:

Cardiac Rehab Supervisor David Explains All About Cardiac Rehab
Julie's Cardiac Rehab Experience
Written by American Heart Association editorial staff and reviewed by science and medicine advisors.

See our editorial policies and staff.

Last Reviewed: Jul 31, 2016

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Recovery becomes so much more manageable when you have the right kind of emotional support. Our online community of patients, survivors and caregivers is here to keep you going no matter the obstacles. We’ve been there, and we won’t let you go it alone.

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