Working with Cardiac patients 

 

At the Center for Cardiac Fitness we meet 5 days a week with patients who have experienced some sort of cardiac event such as a heart attack, angina, blockage, stent procedure, high blood pressure, and ect.  Most of these patients have been referred from their cardiologist or primary physician to be part of this 12-week program.  During the 12-week program cardiac patients are assigned a case manger that is either an exercise physiologist or RN, in which they meet with 3 times a week for exercise.  It is the exercise specialist’s job to monitor and provide the patient with the proper exercise prescription and services to enhance their cardiac well being.  A new cardiac patient is monitored for several sessions on a telemetry monitor based on their risk stratification.  Those with higher risks will be monitored more frequently compared to those with less risk.  Telemetry monitor helps cardiac professionals view the electrical conductivity of the heart.  Heart rate and blood pressure are also measured throughout exercise and must stay in their appropriate target heart rate zone.  Patients with diabetes are to check their glucose levels before and after excise and record those numbers on their chart each day.  Weight and blood pressures are also recorded on that chart.  The chart they are provided with from their case manger is an outline of their exercise regimen.  Workloads of exercise are measured in watts/METS, and time is measured in minutes.