Cardiac rehabilitation is a monitored exercise program that a physician prescribes for those who have had heart problems including heart attacks or bypass surgery. You may be eligible for the cardiac rehabilitation program if you have any of the following conditions:

• Angina pectoris (chest pain)
• Myocardial infarction (heart attack)
• Cardiovascular surgery
• Documented coronary artery disease
• Coronary angioplasty

A physician's referral is necessary to take part in the cardiac rehabilitation program.

The program's goals include having an enjoyable healthy lifestyle, learning what can and cannot be done safely, developing a good home fitness program including resistance training, returning to work, preventing reoccurrence and providing the education to make the changes.

Participants often enter the program feeling insecure. But through the sharing and growing process of cardiac rehabilitation, they are reassured that they will live a fairly normal life with their heart disease. For more information, contact the cardiac rehabilitation department at 507-537-9093.