Cardiac and Vascular Care Programme

What

The medical professionals at LECC believe that optimal health can be attained through a proper balance of Education, Nutrition, and Exercise. Consequently, as well as treat our patients, our goal is to educate them about their disease(s), health, and ways to obtain optimal health performance through knowledge, exercise and nutrition. In order to achieve this, the clinic organises group classes and sessions for patients (and their families) in the form of a ‘Cardiac and Vascular Care Programme’. Under ‘Education’, subjects include the sciences behind patients’ diseases, trigger factors, stress, diabetes, hypertension, obesity, and much more. Under ‘Nutrition’, we will hold classes alongside a Salad Master dietician on the importance of nutrition and its effect on the heart and overall health, how to prepare food, and what food to prepare. This session will include cooking classes for family members for, at least, 2 days. Under ‘Exercise’, the clinic organises swimming and cardiac aerobic exercises to assess, evaluate, and educate changes in insulin levels, stress, the heart’s strength, and so forth. The programme will focus on each individual case, however, within in-group classes to spark shared responsibility, and act as rehabilitation. Our first goal is to create an all-round experience for each patient, in order to optimise their health. Our second goal is for every patient to leave knowing why and how to improve their lifestyle and health, and understand the sciences behind their cardiovascular diseases. The programme includes breakfast and lunch after morning and afternoon sessions Length of programme: 4-6 weeks. In Summary:

• Know your disease
• Reduce risk factors for (further) heart disease
• Prevent strokes, heart attacks and premature death
• Reduce the need for future surgery
• Improve quality of life

 

HOW?  Through Education   We will assist you and your family in identifying changes in your lifestyle that will decrease your cardiac risk factors. Sessions through the programme will offer information on how the heart functions, cardiac risk factors, stress management, physical activities, medications, diet and smoking. Your family is encouraged to attend these sessions to learn how they may help you during your recovery process. Written material is provided to reinforce and review the information presented. Through Nutrition A visit from our nutritionist is an added advantage in the programme. This advantage enables you to take-on a heart-friendly diet from your kitchen stock without increasing costs from buying new food stock. However, introduction into new diets such as Danish diet, Vegan, and Mediterranean diet are included. Through Exercise  We will help you increase your cardiovascular fitness so that you are able to increase your work capacity, decrease fatigue, and kick-start a new, effective fitness lifestyle. Supervised exercise sessions are held three times a week, one hour per session, for the duration of the programme. Each session begins with a warm-up period and includes aerobic activity utilising equipment such as treadmill and ends with a cool down period. All participants are observed on a heart monitor during each phase of the exercise, and are informed about what types of activities can be done at home. Some of the sessions include swimming activities, after which changes in the heart and blood pressure are monitored. The goal is to teach you how far your heart can go, strengthen your heart’s muscle, and teach you ways to improve your fitness at home and in the gym.