Cardiovascular health and rehabilitation

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Cardiac rehabilitation class at Charing Cross Hospital

Our cardiovascular health and rehabilitation service is an important part of the treatment available to patients diagnosed with heart disease and includes health education, advice on cardiovascular risk reduction, physical activity, diet and stress management.

There is good evidence that cardiac rehabilitation reduces death from heart disease, reduces the incidence of further heart problems and prevents unplanned hospital admissions. It also improves exercise capacity, quality of life and psychological well-being. Cardiovascular health and rehabilitation is now recommended in international guidelines.

The cardiovascular health and rehabilitation team is a multi-professional team who provide support for patients and their families throughout their experience of heart disease, both in hospital and the community. This includes patients who have had a recent heart attack, angioplasty (stents), coronary artery bypass surgery and heart valve surgery, heart failure and those who have had an internal defibrillator or cardiac resynchronisation therapy device implanted.

We see as many patients as possible while they are being treated in Hammersmith Hospital to discuss and explain diagnosis and treatments, risk factors, lifestyle and on-going recovery. We also accept referrals from GPs and other health care professionals and organisations. Non-local patients will be referred to their nearest cardiac programme once they have been discharged from hospital.

Local patients are offered a six to eight-week outpatient cardiac rehabilitation programme. This is provided once a week at the following venues:

Meet the team

The team consists of cardiac specialist nurses, dieticians, exercise specialists, clinical psychologists and a consultant cardiologist. The team will work with you to make a plan that will support your on-going care and treatment.

There are different ways that you can participate; it may be that you join one of our cardiac classes or that a home programme works better for you. We will discuss the options with you at your first appointment.

Patient information

Our programme is designed to improve your quality of life, and manage factors that influence your heart health, such as high blood pressure, raised cholesterol and anxiety and depression. We are a friendly team of health professionals dedicated to supporting your recovery.

The programme is for people who have had:

  • a recent heart attack
  • an angina that has required a stent
  • heart surgery such as bypass or a heart valve operation
  • heart failure, provided they are well
  • implantable cardiac defibrillators (ICD) or cardiac resynchronisation therapy (CRT)

Other heart patients are considered on an individual basis.

The programme begins at your first appointment. One of our priorities is to find out how you and your family are coping and if you have any worries or questions about what has happened to you. We are here to answer those questions for you and give you the most up-to-date advice.

We can advise you on eating a heart-friendly diet, maintaining a healthy weight, returning to physical activities and getting back to work. We also offer smoking cessation support.

Our specialist nurses will also make sure that you know the correct medications you should be taking and that you understand how your medicines work.

Charing Cross Hospital programme

If you decide to attend the Charing Cross programme you will be sent an appointment to see a nurse, a dietitian and an exercise specialist. This appointment will last for two hours and is held at Charing Cross Hospital. At this appointment our team will see how you and your family are getting on and if you have any questions or worries about what has happened to you.

Our specialist nurses will make sure that you are taking the correct medication at the right dose and that you understand how your medicines work and affect you. We also offer stop smoking support. We will advise you on eating a heart-friendly diet and maintaining a healthy weight, managing erectile dysfunction or impotence (this is common in men with heart disease), and returning to physical activities and getting back to work.

After the appointment you will be given the opportunity to join our cardiac class or to be given a home programme. We’re happy to discuss all the options with you. Before you begin the programme, your case will be discussed with our cardiologist to discuss any changes to your care or treatment that might be necessary.

The programme

You can attend the cardiac classes at Charing Cross Hospital for up to eight weekly sessions. You will see a nurse each week to check your blood pressure and discuss your progress. The exercise is led by the exercise instructor who is specially trained in exercising people with heart problems and is designed to help your recovery. It is suitable for people of all levels of fitness, age and ability. You progress at your own pace and are supervised and monitored.

There are also health talks each week which cover over a range of health issues including healthy eating and managing stress.

After the programme

After you have completed your programme you will attend a second clinic appointment with the team. You may then be referred locally for a further physical activity programme and this will assist you with maintaining a healthier lifestyle. There are many community-based programmes available and if you are interested, you will be given contact details at the end of the programme.

St Mary’s Hospital programme

Very similar to the Charing Cross programme but the initial appointment is held at St Mary’s Hospital with classes held either at St Mary’s or the Seymour Centre (five minutes from the main hospital) for up to eight weekly sessions.

Ealing community programme

Very similar to the Charing Cross programme but the initial appointment is held at Hanwell Health Centre or the Peart-Rose Clinic at Hammersmith Hospital. Classes are at various locations across the borough for up to six weekly sessions.

Patient information

The British Heart Foundation offers a variety of booklets and resources to support you on your cardiac rehab journey.

Refer to this service

GPs and secondary care providers should use NHS e-Referrals to refer a patient to our service. Many of our patients are referred from within the Trust’s cardiology services.

We offer our programme to patients who have had a recent heart attack, angioplasty (stents), coronary artery by-pass surgery and heart valve surgery. We also accept patients with heart failure and those who have had an internal defibrillator or cardiac resynchronisation therapy device implanted.

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