February is National Heart Month – the perfect time to focus on cardiac health, including prevention, impairment and recovery. 

Did You Know?

• Every 40 seconds in America, someone suffers a heart attack
• About 18.2 million adults age 20 and older have coronary artery disease (CAD)
• About 655,000 Americans die from heart disease each year – that’s one in every four deaths
• Heart disease is the leading cause of death for people of most racial and ethnic groups in the U.S.
• High blood pressure, high blood cholesterol and smoking are key risk factors for heart disease
• Other conditions and choices that can increase the risk of heart disease include: diabetes, overweight and obesity, unhealthy diet, physical inactivity and excessive alcohol use (source)

“It’s important to recognize symptoms of a heart attack,” said Dr. Ammar Hallak, cardiologist. “Some common symptoms are pressure, tightness in the chest or arm, nausea, shortness of breath, cold sweat, fatigue and dizziness. Monitoring blood pressure, exercise and consuming a healthy diet can help reduce your risk of heart disease.”

Addressing Impairment 

Our specialized inpatient rehabilitation program provides expert, compassionate care that can help each patient develop the strength and stamina needed to return home as independently as possible through personalized treatment plans. Areas of focus include:

• Symptom monitoring and medication management
• Nutrition management and dietary counseling
• Establishment of individualized targeted physical rehabilitation treatment to address strength, endurance, mobility and a physical activity plan with self-monitoring
• Focus on self-care/ADLs/IADLs with appropriate energy conservation and monitoring of status during exertion
• Wellness and lifestyle education and planning, including healthy meal planning, diabetic education and focus on psychological well-being
• Discharge planning and patient/caregiver education
• Referral (as appropriate) to outpatient cardiac rehab

Interested in the cardiac rehab program at Arkansas Methodist Medical Center? Contact us for more information.