Rehabbing the Heart at Washington DC VA Medical Center

If a Veteran has a heart attack, heart failure, heart surgery or is diagnosed with heart disease, their Primary Care Team can refer them to the Cardiac Rehabilitation Program. This three-month program is designed to strengthen and improve the function of the entire cardiovascular system through a three-step process.

1. Exercise counseling and training – Veterans in the Cardiac Rehab program attend one-on-one, hour-long exercise sessions, one to three times a week, that are supervised by specially trained nurses. These hands-on exercise sessions allow a Veteran to exercise in a safe, supervised environment while learning the proper way to strengthen their heart at home.
2. Education for heart-healthy living – Cardiac Rehabilitation Specialists will help Veterans identify unhealthy lifestyle choices they may be making. They will work with the Veteran to develop a heart healthy living plan with resources for eating healthier, exercising safely and consistently, and managing stress. Veterans are also taught how to identify and monitor potential risk factors that could lead to heart trouble in the future.
3. Counseling to reduce stress and increase support – An unhealthy level of stress can put a lot of strain on your heart and lead to issues like a heart attack. Counseling services are available to help Veterans learn how to manage stress and develop healthy coping strategies.

Martine Bune, MPH, BSN, RN, is a specially trained cardiac rehabilitation nurse at the Washington DC VA Medical Center. She works with each Veteran's Primary Care Team to include their provider, pulmonologist, cardiologists (both within and outside of the VA health care system), respiratory therapists, dieticians, nutritionists and pharmacists to customize a plan for every Veteran she treats.

“The Cardiac Rehabilitation Program can strengthen your heart and lungs over the course of two to three months, but to keep the Veteran out of the hospital in the future, it takes a commitment on their part to a lifestyle change,” said Bune. “That’s why it takes all of us, working together to support the Veteran. It is a team effort.”  

If you have been diagnosed with a heart condition, talk to your VA Primary Care Provider to see if you are a candidate for the Cardiac Rehabilitation Program. Learn more about this program here.