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Cardiovascular Health and Wellness Program Overview
Cardiac Rehabilitation is designed to help those with heart disease recover faster and
return to full and productive lives. Cardiac Rehabilitation includes exercise, education,
counseling, and learning ways to live a healthier life. Programs are offered to those
who have had heart attacks, heart surgery, angioplasty, stable congestive heart failure,
or stable angina. Spouses or partners are encouraged to attend. Education sessions dealing
with heart disease, risk factors, lifestyle change, nutrition, developing healthy habits,
smoking cessation, stress management, medication use, and much more are offered.
Programs/Services Offered As a Chronic Disease Management Model, the Cardiovascular Health and Wellness Program offers a unique array of programs designed to clinically manage all forms of cardiovascular disease within a multidisciplinary environment of health care professionals. The population served includes those living with all forms of heart disease, as well as those at risk of developing heart disease. A Heart Function Clinic provides education and a continuity of care rarely found in combination with cardiac rehabilitation programs, and has become an innovative model for other Cardiovascular Health and Wellness Programs. Home exercise risk reduction and community programs (Healing Hearts), as well as the Canadian Cancer Society’s "Fresh Start – Quit Smoking Program" are also offered. A Pulmonary Rehabilitation program that includes a 10 week exercise and education program has been a logical addition to the Chronic Disease Management model as well as a Risk Reduction & Prevention program.
In 1995, an Outpatient Cardiac Rehabilitation program was developed by Atlantic Health Sciences Corporation – NB Heart Centre, at the Saint John Regional Hospital. The program utilizes a multidisciplinary team approach, with a cardiovascular nurse as the coordinator and case manager. The ultimate goal of this program has been to facilitate implementation of similar programs throughout the province. Program guidelines follow the Canadian Association of Cardiac Rehabilitation, American College of Sports Medicine, and American Association of Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Rehabilitation guidelines. Outcome measures have been established, and patients are followed in a case managed setting for a period of one year, to assess continued risk factor modification. Participants attend supervised exercise sessions of one hour duration twice a week for 10 weeks. In addition, participants and their partners attend two weekly education sessions, one pertaining to issues of heart health and the other nutrition education.
Primary & Secondary Prevention A unique home exercise program was developed as a result of an ever-increasing waiting list for cardiac rehabilitation services at the Saint John Regional Hospital and the need to provide a primary prevention program. Primary prevention participants with cardiac risk factors and secondary prevention patients who are low to moderate risk for clinical event with exercise can participate in the program. Education is provided in a six week format. This format has decreased the wait list for cardiac rehabilitation programs and allows the more traditional 10 week program to provide service to those at higher risk for event with exercise. The Home Exercise Program also has proven beneficial to those who are at low risk and have returned to work. The program is offered in a group education format, however each participant is assessed by a member of the cardiac rehab team, exercise prescriptions are individualized, behaviour change goals are assessed and additional education or referral to another health care professional is provided as is deemed necessary. Spouses and partners are encouraged to attend all phases of the program. Follow-up is provided in clinic visits at six months and one-year after completion of the program. However, as with the traditional 10 week cardiac rehab program, each participant receives a plan of care that outlines individual goals and timelines for attainment of objectives on completion of programs. More frequent individual appointments are provided with an appropriate health care professional based on case management, behaviour change goals and specific need of the participant. Healing Hearts Home Exercise Program (Under Review) The Atlantic Health Sciences Corporation/N.B. Heart Centre Healing Hearts Program has been developed in collaboration with the Heart and Stroke Foundation of N.B. and the Department of Medicine Program to provide education and home exercise guidelines for those living with heart disease. This program has been developed specifically for smaller communities within the region to provide heart health education for those unable to attend the Cardiac Rehabilitation program at the Saint John Regional Hospital. Education and exercise programs that combine lifestyle and behaviour changes have been shown to reduce the progression of heart disease and significantly improve quality of life. The 6 week program is designed for the heart patient to participate in after being discharged from hospital. Each session lasts approximately 2 hours. A Doctor’s permission is necessary to attend this program. Heart failure occurs when the pumping function of the heart has been affected. Possible causes include damage to the heart muscle from a heart attack, an enlarged heart, or problems with the hearts valves. The purpose of the Heart Function Clinic is to provide patients with specialized care in a case managed setting. This includes ongoing assessment of symptoms, care plan development, collaboration with the family physician and cardiologist as well as education and patient/caregiver support. The clinic provides education that helps people learn to live with and manage their heart failure. Education includes causes of heart failure, early warning signs, sodium and fluid restrictions, daily weights, medication information and when to access the health care system. Consultation to the clinic is by cardiology/internist referral with a clinic nurse assessing and providing necessary care in collaboration with the attending physician. The treatment of chronic lung disease (e.g. Emphysema, Chronic Bronchitis and Pulmonary Fibrosis) is frequently complicated, confusing and frustrating for both patients and those who care for them. The Pulmonary Rehabilitation Program provides an outpatient program to serve the needs of chronic lung disease patients and combines education with therapeutic exercise and functional activities into a comprehensive 10- week program. The goal is to help the patient understand and cope with the disease and function more comfortably and independently at home. Canadian Cancer Society "Fresh Start – Quit Smoking Program" This 6 week course is designed to help smokers make the decision to quit and to support their efforts to stay quit by teaching coping skills, relaxation techniques, encouraging group discussion, peer support and using informative videos to help participants make a "Fresh Start". The program goals are to provide social support in making the decision to quit, accentuate the positive, provide information and techniques, involve participants in the program, and encourage participants to apply what is learned to other aspects of their lives. Heart and Stroke Foundation "Heart to Heart" Program This 6 week program of the Heart and Stroke Foundation offers education and support to those living with heart disease and their partners in the relaxed and informal setting of a small group. Programs are offered two hours a week for 6 weeks in over 20 sites in New Brunswick. Contact the Heart & Stroke Foundation 1-800-663-3600 or 506-634-1620. Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada Walk of Life for Cardiac & Pulmonary Rehabilitation The Atlantic Cardiac Rehab Network The Atlantic Cardiac Rehab Network was founded in 2004 by Cleo Cyr. Over the past two years membership has grown to over 100 people involved in cardiac rehabilitation, lipid management, cardiovascular disease management or primary prevention. Annual meetings are held in conjunction with the NB Heart Centre Symposium. See attached Terms of Reference for more information.
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