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Exercise

Regular exercise is an important component of recovery and reduces the risk for heart disease. Exercise during recovery from a heart attack or cardiac surgery should be carefully planned and medically guided.

Follow these guidelines:

• Join a cardiac rehabilitation program. The program usually starts about 4 weeks after discharge.
• Do not start back into your usual exercise routine.
• The preferable type of exercise during the first 4 weeks of recovery is walking.
• The preferable intensity of exercise is a light or comfortable pace, without feeling short of breath. Specifically, the heart rate should not exceed 25 beats over the resting heart rate during this healing period. Individuals recovering from a heart attack or cardiac surgery can increase to a more vigorous intensity after 4 to 6 weeks. The physician should perform an exercise stress test at this time, when healing has taken place. This test can provide guidelines for a safe exercise intensity level.
• The frequency and duration of exercise should not follow the traditional exercise prescription, even if you have been exercising all along. In order to allow your heart to heal, follow the exercise guidelines below.
• Terminate exercise and call your Inova Physician if you experience excessive fatigue, dizziness, shortness of breath, nausea, sweating (beyond normal weather sweating) or angina.

Keep in mind that duration should be adjusted to meet your individual needs. It could be less time depending on your age, fitness level, extent of illness and physical condition.