The
Heart Center at Sinai is one of the region’s most comprehensive cardiac care centers. In the acute care setting, therapists are consulted to treat patients with cardiac illness and patients post cardiac procedures or surgeries such as cardiac catheterizations, coronary artery bypass or heart valve replacement.
Phase I cardiac rehabilitation is offered by an experienced exercise physiologist who works to build strength and endurance and increase activity tolerance to improve cardiac function while closely monitoring vital signs.
- Physical therapists assess gait and mobility and work to restore optimal mobility after illness or surgery, recommending continued rehabilitation and use of assistive devices when necessary.
- Occupational therapists assess and work to restore activities of daily living such as bathing and dressing, using adaptive equipment as necessary.
- Speech therapists assess patient swallow function to determine safest means of nutrition. This may be needed if a patient has had an extended period of intubation
After open-heart surgery, patients will have
sternal precautions that limit the use of arms for pushing, pulling and reaching tasks to protect the healing of the sternotomy incision site. Therapists provide education and techniques for performance of functional activities while maintaining these precautions. The therapists and exercise physiologists also provide education to cardiac patients on the importance of exercise and recovery.
When appropriate, patients may continue their rehabilitation course at
Sinai’s Rehabilitation Hospital, where patients receive 3 hours of therapy daily.
Continuum of Care
Cardiac Comprehensive Inpatient Rehabilitation
Outpatient Rehabilitation
Lifebridge Cardiac Rehabilitation