Helen Hayes staff and patient in wheelchair outside

Cardiac Rehab Patient Education

The following links provide valuable information for Cardiac Rehabilitation patients.

Outpatient Cardiac Orientation

 

Aspects of a Cardiac Rehabilitation Program:

Cardiac Rehabilitation (CardioSmart) 

What is Cardiac Rehabilitation? (Heart.org)

 

Cardiac Anatomy and Physiology:

How the Heart Works (NIH)

 

Coronary Circulation:

Anatomy and Function of the Coronary Arteries (John Hopkins Medicine) 

Coronary Arteries (Cleveland Clinic)

 

Coronary Artery Disease/Angina/Heart Attack:

Coronary Artery Disease Overview (CardioSmart)

Coronary Artery Disease (Heart.org)

Angina – Chest Pain (Heart.org)

Angina Overview (CardioSmart)

Heart Attack Overview (CardioSmart)

About Heart Attacks (Heart.org)

 

Heart Valve Disease:

Heart Valve Disease Infographic (CardioSmart)

Understanding Heart Valve Disease (CardioSmart)

Aortic Stenosis Overview (CardioSmart)

Aortic Stenosis Worksheet (CardioSmart)

Mitral Regurgitation Overview (CardioSmart)

 

Arrhythmia/Atrial Fibrillation:

About Arrhythmia (Heart.org)

Atrial Fibrillation Overview (CardioSmart)

What is Atrial Fibrillation (Heart.org)

 

Aortic Aneurysm:

Your Aorta: The Pulse of Life (Heart.org)

Aortic Aneurysm Overview (CardioSmart)

 

Cardiac Procedures/Surgeries:

Cardiac Procedures & Surgeries (Heart.org)

What is Coronary Angioplasty? (Heart.org)

What is a Stent? (Heart.org)

What is Coronary Bypass Surgery? (Heart.org)

Options for Heart Valve Replacement (Heart.org)

Implantable Medical Devices (Heart.org)

Heart Transplant (Heart.org)

 

Cardiac Tests:

Heart Health Tests (MedlinePlus)

Noninvasive Tests & Procedures (Heart.org)

Invasive Tests & Procedures (Heart.org)

Common Heart Tests (Very Well Health)

Common Heart Tests (UT Southwestern)

 

Heart Failure:

Heart Failure Overview (CardioSmart)

What is Heart Failure? (Heart.org)

Heart Failure (NIH)

Heart Failure Stoplight Tool – When to Call (CardioSmart) 

 

Risk Factors – Blood Pressure:

High Blood Pressure Overview (CardioSmart)

High Blood Pressure Fact Sheet (CardioSmart)

High Blood Pressure Infographic (CardioSmart)

High Blood Pressure Guidelines (CardioSmart)

How to Take Your Blood Pressure at Home (CardioSmart)

High Salt Intake Linked to Greater Risk for High Blood Pressure (CardioSmart)

The Facts About High Blood Pressure (Heart.org)

Changes You Can Make to Manage High Blood Pressure (Heart.org)

What is High Blood Pressure? (Heart.org)

Life’s Simple 7 Manage Blood Pressure Infographic (Heart.org)

How to Measure Your Blood Pressure (Heart.org)

How to Accurately Measure Blood Pressure at Home (Heart.org)

How Can I Reduce High Blood Pressure? (Heart.org)

 

Risk Factors – High Cholesterol:

High Cholesterol Overview (CardioSmart)

Causes of High Cholesterol (Heart.org)

HDL (Good), LDL (Bad) Cholesterol and Triglycerides (Heart.org)

Prevention and Treatment of High Cholesterol (Hyperlipidemia) (Heart.org)

How Can I Improve My Cholesterol? (Heart.org)

Life’s Simple 7 Manage Blood Pressure Infographic (Heart.org)

My Cholesterol Guide (Heart.org)

How Do My Cholesterol Levels Affect My Risk? (Heart.org)

 

Risk Factors – Diabetes:

Cardiovascular Disease and Diabetes (Heart.org)

What Is Diabetes and How Can I Manage It? (Heart.org)

Answers from the Experts: Diabetes Management (Heart.org)

Life’s Simple 7 Manage Blood Sugar Infographic (Heart.org)

Diabetes & Your Heart (CardioSmart)

Diabetes & Heart Disease (CardioSmart)

Understanding Diabetes (CardioSmart)

Type 2 Diabetes Overview (CardioSmart)

 

Risk Factors – Smoking:

NY SmokeFree

Rockland County Smoking Cessation Program

Smoking & Heart Disease (CardioSmart)

Stop Smoking Infographic

How to Quit Smoking (CardioSmart)

Benefits of Quitting Smoking (CardioSmart)

Smoking Cessation Help & Support (CardioSmart)

How Can I Quit Smoking? (Heart.org)

How Can I Handle the Stress of Not Smoking? (Heart.org)

How Can I Avoid Weight Gain When I Stop Smoking? (Heart.org)

 

 Risk Factors – Family History:

Family History and Heart Disease, Stroke (Heart.org)

Genetic testing a tool for families dealing with certain heart diseases (Heart.org)

Healthy Lifestyle Helps Offset Genetic Risk for Heart Disease (CardioSmart)

 

Risk Factors – Obesity/Weight:

Why Should I Lose Weight? (Heart.org)

How Can I Manage My Weight? (Heart.org)

Life’s Simple 7 Manage Weight Infographic (Heart.org)

Body Mass Index (BMI) In Adults (Heart.org)

Obesity and Heart Disease (CardioSmart)

Metabolic Syndrome (CardioSmart)

Understanding Belly Fat (CardioSmart)

 

Risk Factors – Exercise/Activity:

Exercise and Your Heart (CardioSmart)

If You Have a Heart Condition (CardioSmart)

Active Living for your Heart Health (CardioSmart)

Why Should I Be Physically Active? (Heart.org)

How Can Physical Activity Become a Way of Life? (Heart.org)

Life’s Simple 7 Be More Active Infographic (Heart.org)

How much physical activity do you need? (Heart.org)

 

Medications – General Information:

How Do I Manage My Medicines? (Heart.org)

Medication Adherence – Taking Your Meds as Directed (Heart.org)

Making Your Medication Work Better (Heart.org)

Medication Interactions: Food, Supplements and Other Drugs (Heart.org)

Medications: Myths Versus Facts (Heart.org)

Medication Adherence (CardioSmart)

Medication Adherence Infographic (CardioSmart)

 

Cardiac Medications:

Cardiac Medications (Heart.org)

What are Anticoagulants and Antiplatelet Agents? (Heart.org)

What are Direct-Acting Oral Anticoagulants (DOACs)? (Heart.org)

What is Dual Antiplatelet Therapy (DAPT)? (Heart.org)

What is High Blood Pressure Medicine? (Heart.org)

What are Cholesterol- Lowering Medications? (Heart.org)

 

Principles of Aerobic Exercise/How to Exercise after Completing Cardiac Rehab:

How to Get the Exercise You Need (CardioSmart)

Cancer Treatment & Exercise: How to Exercise (CardioSmart)

Fitness Basics (Heart.org)

Warm Up, Cool Down (Heart.org)

Target Heart Rates Chart (Heart.org)

Want to check your heart rate? Here’s how (Harvard Health)

 

Principles of Weight Training:

Strength and Resistance Training Exercise (Heart.org)

 

Peripheral Arterial Disease:

What is Peripheral Artery Disease? (Vascular Cures)

Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD) Flyer (Vascular Cures)

Ankle-Brachial Index (ABI) (Vascular Cures)

Focus on Walking (Vascular Cures)

Life Saving Tips About… Foot Care and PAD (Vascular Cures)

Life Saving Tips About… Smoking and PAD (Vascular Cures)

 

 Cardiac Diet/Nutrition Info:

Heart-Healthy Nutrition (CardioSmart)

Heart-Healthy Diets (CardioSmart)

Dietary Guidelines (CardioSmart)

Life’s Simple 7 Eat Better Infographic (Heart.org)

Your Guide To Lowering Your Blood Pressure With DASH (NIH)

Your Guide to the Mediterranean Diet (Old Ways PT)

How Can I Cook Healthfully? (Heart.org)

How Do I Change Recipes? (Heart.org)

What About Eating Out? (Heart.org)

How Do I Understand the “Nutrition Facts” Label? (Heart.org)

How to Shake the Salt Habit (CardioSmart)

Worth Its Salt? (CardioSmart)

How Do I Follow a Healthy Diet Pattern? (Heart.org)

 

Depression and Cardiac Health:

Experts Highlight the Strong Link Between Depression and Heart Disease (CardioSmart)

Understanding Depression (CardioSmart)

How Does Depression Affect the Heart? (Heart.org)

Mental Health and Heart Health (Heart.org)

MendedHearts.org

 

Stress Management:

Stress and Heart Health (Heart.org)

Stress Management (Heart.org)

Fight Stress with Healthy Habits Infographic (Heart.org)

Tips to Lower Stress Infographic (Heart.org)

How Can I Manage Stress? (Heart.org)