Heart Disease Health Center

After having a heart attack or surgery or discovering you have heart disease, you may be afraid to exercise or be active. You may worry that exercise will cause another heart attack or that you aren't strong enough for a cardiac rehab program. It may ease your fears to know that as you begin your rehab, your doctor will monitor your activity closely and health professionals will be on hand to deal with any problems you may have. Your rehab team will tailor all of your exercises specifically for you, based on your medical condition and overall health. All cardiac rehab begins slowly at a comfortable pace and may be as gentle as walking on a treadmill.

If you are worried or afraid to be active again, talk to your doctor. Exercise and activity can greatly improve the quality of your life.

But exercise may not be safe for some people. You may not be able to participate in the exercise portion of cardiac rehab if you have:

• Unstable angina.
• Uncontrolled high blood pressure or low blood pressure.
• Heart rhythm problems or heart failure that is not under control.
• Uncontrolled diabetes.
• Experienced problems during exercise in your cardiac rehab program, such as angina (chest pain or discomfort). Exercise causes the heart to work harder. As the heart works harder, the heart muscle needs more oxygen. If the narrowed heart vessels cannot provide enough blood (and oxygen) to the heart, you will have chest pain.

Even if you can't exercise or be active, you will benefit from other parts of a cardiac rehab program. For example, you can get help with quitting smoking and reducing stress, and you can get advice on how to eat a heart-healthy diet. This type of education can lower the risk of heart-related death.

Medicines may also affect your ability to participate in cardiac rehab. Some prescribed medicines can change your heart rate, blood pressure, and overall ability to exercise. For example, antidepressants may increase your heart rate and decrease your blood pressure at rest and during exercise. Tell your doctor and other health professionals on your rehab team about all of the medicines you are taking, especially if they cause any side effects during exercise.