Cardiac Rehabilitation

What is cardiac rehabilitation?

Cardiac rehabilitation is a term used by health professionals; 'cardiac' refers to the heart and 'rehabilitation' means to restore health.
The main goals of cardiac rehabilitation are:

• To prevent you suffering further cardiovascular events by helping you take control of your life
• To improve your quality of life

Cardiac rehabilitation services provide you and your family with education, information, physical activity and social support with help from health professionals - including dieticians, nurses, physiotherapists, cardiologists, psychologists and others.

What are the benefits of cardiac rehabilitation?

Cardiac rehabilitation is a vitally important part of your recovery and can make a real difference to you and your family.
Cardiac rehabilitation programmes can:

• reduce your chance of having another heart attack
• decrease complications
• increase your chance of survival
• improve quality of life for both you and your family/whanau
• improve your confidence.

Who is eligible for cardiac rehabilitation?

Cardiac rehabilitation can help anyone who has had a heart attack or any cardiac event or procedure, either recently or in the past, for example:

• coronary artery bypass surgery
• angioplasty (stent)
• stable or unstable angina
• controlled heart failure
• valve surgery

Your family members are also encouraged to participate with you throughout the cardiac rehabilitation process

Where can I find my nearest cardiac support group?

Cardiac Clubs
Cardiac clubs give you and your partner/family/whanau the chance to meet and talk with others who have gone through similar experiences. Most clubs have physical activity programmes, invite guest speakers to talk about heart health related issues as well as other general topics. All cardiac clubs try to promote a warm social atmosphere.

There are a large number of cardiac clubs throughout New Zealand with a significant number of these affiliated to the Heart Foundation. The Heart Foundation has a list of affliated Cardiac Clubs [PDF 446kb].

Additional Cardiac Rehabilitation Programmes
For additional cardiac rehabilitation programmes open the Heart Foundation Cardiac Rehabilitation Directory  [PDF 1.01mb] which outlines the phase 1, 2 & 3 programmes available throughout New Zealand.

Every endeavour has been made to ensure the information in this directory is accurate and up-to-date.
For more information regarding Phase 3 Cardiac Clubs, the Affiliation Programme and the role of the National Heart Foundation please contact us.