Recovering from cardiovascular disease is often difficult
and requires a long-term commitment to change. Patients need
the support of loved ones and the expertise of caring
professionals.
The Duke Health and Fitness Center offers a comprehensive
cardiac rehabilitation program for those recovering from a
cardiovascular event, including heart attack, unstable angina,
angioplasty, and coronary bypass surgery.
A part of the renowned Duke University Medical Center, the
Health and Fitness Center draws upon a multidisciplinary team
of physicians, exercise physiologists, physician assistants,
nurses, nutritionists, physical therapists, and psychologists.
Since 1976, the Duke Health and Fitness Center has helped
thousands of cardiac patients overcome disabling cardiac events
and return to a full, active life.
One of our goals is to help you begin a long-term,
self-directed program of exercise and lifestyle change -- both
at home and in a facility such as the Duke Health & Fitness
Center. The Health & Fitness Center will enable you to
continue your positive lifestyle changes in a medically based
environment.
Our program is designed to help you progress quickly from a
cardiac event or hospitalization to a level of wellness at
which you can return to work, pursue your favorite activities,
and live a healthier life. Our program begins with physical
rehabilitation and includes psychological support, nutrition
modification and education, and lifestyle counseling -- all
aimed at helping heart patients help themselves.
You will join others who have experienced similar cardiac
problems in participating in medically supervised exercise
sessions designed to teach you how to monitor your own exercise
program.
Comprehensive nutrition classes teach you how to lower your
intake of fat, cholesterol, and sodium while eating foods that
fit into your lifestyle. We discuss how to prepare
heart-healthy meals without sacrificing taste, and how to read
food labels and keep you abreast of the latest findings in
nutrition research.
We also offer stress management and behavioral classes and a
support group, and encourage participation in mind-body classes. You may schedule
individual consultations with the psychologist to help you
adjust and maintain lifestyle changes, manage stress, break
habits, and overcome barriers that stand between you and a
healthier life.
Our weekly wellness lectures provide comprehensive education
about medicine, health, and fitness. The lectures are presented
by a variety of health care professionals, including
cardiologists, psychologists, exercise physiologists, physical
therapists, nurses, and nutritionists.
The Duke Health and Fitness Center is certified by the State
of North Carolina and follows the North Carolina Cardiac
Rehabilitation guidelines, enabling participants to qualify for
Medicare and major medical insurance coverage. We will work
with your provider to determine coverage.
For more information about the Duke Health and Fitness
Center’s cardiac rehabilitation program, call
919-660-6724.
Locations
This service is available at:
