Exercise Precautions for Heart Disease Patients

There are many precautions a caregiver must keep in mind when developing an exercise program for a patient with cardiovascular disease. If you have any questions, contact the patient's healthcare provider.

• Stop the exercise if your loved one becomes overly fatigued or short of breath; discuss the symptoms with the patient's doctor or schedule an appointment for evaluation.
• Do not encourage exercise if the patient is not feeling well or has a fever. Heart patients should wait a few days after all symptoms disappear before restarting the exercise program, unless their healthcare provider gives other directions.
• If the patient experiences shortness of breath or increased fatigue during any activity, have him slow down or stop the activity. Have him keep his feet elevated when resting. If the patient continues to have shortness of breath, call his/her doctor. The doctor may make changes in medications, diet, or fluid restrictions.
• Stop the activity if the patient develops a rapid or irregular heartbeat or has heart palpitations. Check the patient's pulse after he has rested for 15 minutes. If it's still above 120-150 beats per minute, call the doctor for further instructions.

If the patient experiences pain:

• Don't ignore it. If the patient has chest pain or pain anywhere else in the body, do not allow the activity to continue. Performing an activity while in pain may cause stress or damage on to the joints.

Stop the exercise and have the patient rest if he/she:

• Has chest pain
• Feels weak
• Is dizzy or lightheaded
• Has unexplained weight gain or swelling (call the doctor right away)
• Has pressure or pain in the chest, neck, arm, jaw, or shoulder
• Has any other symptoms that cause concern

Call the doctor if the patient has symptoms that do not go away.