Cardiac rehabilitation is a comprehensive exercise, education, and behavioral modification program for patients with heart disease. It is designed to control symptoms, improve exercise tolerance, and improve their overall quality of life. Heart attack survivors, bypass and angioplasty patients, and individuals with angina, congestive heart failure, and heart transplants are all candidates for a cardiac rehabilitation program.

A cardiac rehabilitation program is designed and supervised by a specialized team of doctors, nurses, and other healthcare professionals. Members of the cardiac rehabilitation team may include a dietician or nutritionist, physical therapist, exercise physiologist, psychologist, vocational counselor, occupational therapist, and social worker. The program usually begins in a hospital setting and continues after the patient is discharged over a period of 6-12 months.

The elements of a cardiac rehabilitation program vary by individual clinical need, and each program is carefully constructed for the patient by his or her...