Outpatient Cardiac Rehabiliation and Secondary Prevention

All patients need to have a physician referral to start cardiac rehabiliation.  Any outside referrlas will have an initial cardiac assessment by a CAMSF cardiologist prior to starting rehabilitation classes.

Phase II, Early Outpatient Program
Telemetry Monitored Exercise

Cardiac Rehabilitation Phase II, a medically supervised exercise program with cardiovascular risk factor assessment, is an integral part of the recovery process for patients who have experienced a cardiac event and/or intervention.  Your cardiologist will advise the cardiac rehab team when it is appropriate for you to begin this program; typically, it occurs within 1 to 2 weeks post hospital discharge.  Research shows that patients who complete a full cardiac rehab course of 36 sessions, 12 weeks receive the maximum benefit towards improved quality of life and decreased risk for a subsequent cardiac event.

The CAMSF Phase II program is a step towards addressing necessary lifestyle changes.  Through individual goal setting, the program fosters independence along with group support and community resources as needed to make necessary lifestyle changes.  Each participant is given an individualized exercise prescription, which includes a target heart rate based on stress test performance, level of conditioning and any orthopedic limitations.  Under close medical supervision, your heart rhythm, heart rate and blood pressure will be monitored along with blood sugars pre and post exercise for those patients with diabetes.  This information will be given to your cardiologist for review and follow-up assessment.

Phase III, Maintenance Program
For Phase II Graduates and Non-Phase II Cardiac Patients

Cardiac Rehabilitation traditionally encompasses Phase II graduates who desire a medically supervised exercise environment for their maintenance program.  It may also include cardiac patients with diagnosis such as congestive heart failure, chronic angina, vascular disease (i.e. peripheral arterial disease), irregular heart rates (i.e. atrial fibrillation), and/or patients with pacemakers/defibrillators.  The CAMSF Phase III program incorporates the same goals as Phase II with emphasis on maintaining a consistent exercise program.

Fitness Coaching
Personal Training Sessions for the Cardiac Patient

Fitness Coaching is available for those patients who want to work one on one with a personal trainer to establish an individualized medically safe exercise program to use at another gym and/or within their home.  This coaching also includes techniques for stress reduction, nutrition metabolism information and stretching/flexibility exercises.

Cardiac Rehabilitation Team

Program Director	Sarah Lamb RN, CNS, MS
Exercise Physiologist	Kathy Hutchinson, MS
Exercise Fitness Specialist	Emily Justus
Monitor Technician	Rodd Potts

For information on class schedules and prices contact one of the cardiac team members at 415-927-6177.