Recovering From a Heart Condition

Cardiac rehabilitation is used to help and support recovery and resumption of the patients normal life as soon as possible after having heart surgery such as a transplant, a coronary angioplasty, or coronary artery bypass. It is also useful for patients with other heart conditions, such as a heart attack, angina or heart failure.

Rehabilitation Program

If you have had heart surgery, a member of the cardiac rehabilitation team will  have visited you in hospital to give you more information about your condition and the surgery that you are having. For the first few weeks after your surgery, a member of the cardiac rehabilitation team will check on your progress by visiting you at home.

Your cardiac rehabilitation program will be designed specially for you and will include information on the following areas:

• exercise
• education
• relaxation
• emotional support

Support Groups

If you are caring for someone suffering from a heart condition or are a sufferer yourself you may find it useful to have some extra support around you from people who are going through the same things. There are a number of support groups that organise social activities such as local walks and coffee mornings. Your GP should be able to advise you on these.

Returning To Work

You should not have to change your life and should be able to return to work following surgery. However under some circumstances it may not be suitable, if your job involves lifting heavy objects or is very stressful it might be advisable to think about changing jobs. Your GP will advise you more on this.

Financial Support

If your job is unsuitable and leaves you unable to work following heart surgery you may be entitled to financial support such as:

• a severe disability allowance
• carer’s allowance
• disablement allowance
• attendance allowance
• statutory sick pay
• short-term incapacity benefit

It is far easier to prevent a heart condition than it is to recover from one, for more information on having a healthy heart, click here.