JC Blair Celebrates Cardiac Rehab Week February 10-16

J.C. Blair Memorial Hospital is celebrating the life-saving impact of cardiac rehabilitation during the American Association of Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Rehabilitation (AACVPR) National Cardiac Rehabilitation Week 2019, February 10-16. Throughout the week, J.C. Blair Cardiac Rehab staff is hosting a number of fun activities with current patients and giving away door prizes each day.

Studies have shown a 58% reduction in cardiac death rates for rehab participants after one year of treatment. Cardiac rehabilitation participants are 31% less likely to be readmitted to a hospital for heart- related illnesses and experience a 30% increase in physical fitness.

J.C. Blair’s Cardiac Rehabilitation program is the one of the American Association of Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Rehabilitation (AACVPR) certified programs in the region to offer a medically monitored exercise program for those who have had a recent heart illness or surgery/procedure. Cardiac Rehab combines physical exercise with risk factor modification to help with recovery and improved physical strength, mood and quality of life. Risk factors are those things that put someone at high risk for having another cardiac event such as high blood pressure, smoking, high cholesterol, and being overweight. Most health insurance plans cover cardiac rehab and J.C. Blair accepts all plans, including UPMC, Geisinger, Highmark, HealthAmerica, Aetna, and others.

“Cardiac rehab is secondary prevention,” said Denise Sheffield, J.C. Blair’s Cardiopulmonary Rehab Service Leader. “We are here to help those with known coronary artery disease prevent another event.” Sheffield also noted, “We now have an average of 30 active patients in our program, see approximately 15 patients a day, and graduate about 100 patients per year.

Sheffield will be the featured speaker at The Auxiliary to J.C. Blair’s annual Wear Red event, a ‘Ladies After Hours’ at Juniata College on Thursday, February 28, from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. The evening will feature ‘A Taste of the Mediterranean’ with heart healthy sampling stations, recipes, raffle and door prizes, and a presentation from Sheffield and a number of cardiac rehab graduates who will share their personal experiences with heart disease. Tickets are $20 and can be purchased in advance at J.C. Blair’s Information Desk or online by visiting www.jcblair.org.

For more information about Cardiac Rehabilitation at J.C. Blair, call (814) 643-7064 or visit www.jcblair.org.