People who have had heart attacks or have undergone heart surgery have been urged to availa of cardiac rehabilitation.

The call has been made by the Irish Heart Foundation to mark World Cardiac Rehab Week (February 10-16).

The Foundation says cardiac rehabilitation has been proven  to reduce the risk of cardiac mortality by 26%, yet less than one in two patients who would benefit from it and are eligible for the service here actually take it up.

The IHF is urging patients to 'reclaim their lives' and reduce any further risk of serious cardiac events by attending their local cardiac rehab programmes in hospitals nationwide.

The heart charity stressed that cardiac rehab helps recovery, can improve cardiac function, and prevent second heart attacks.

Dr Angie Brown, Medical Director of the IHF, said cardiac rehab is proven to substantially reduce the risk of death in patients who attend as well as reducing cardiovascular risk factors in patients by lowering cholesterol, providing safe exercise, assisting weight loss and maintaining normal blood pressure.

"In addition to the health benefits, patients participating in the programme enjoy restored confidence and overcome their fear to exercise safely which helps with their recovery and in making lifestyle changes for the future."

The Irish Heart Foundation is encouraging all heart patients interested in cardiac rehab to contact the National Heart & Stroke Helpline 1890 432 787 to find out about a locally-available cardiac rehab programme.

The purpose of cardiac rehabilitation is to:

• Improve physical capacity and fitness levels.
• Help restore confidence after a cardiac event.
• Help prevent a further cardiac event.
• Educate individuals and their families about heart disease and risk factors.
• Help people adopt healthy lifestyle changes.
• Encourage return to work or normal activities of daily living.
• Enhance quality of life.

Patient stories:

Malachy Webb first suffered a heart attack in his sleep at the unexpected age of 45 years in 1991 and last year his nightmare returned when he suffered chest pain while golfing.

Following an ECG and angiogram, he was fitted with stents. According to Malachy, his latest cardiac event was a completely different experience to the first time, when there was very little lifestyle advice available and no mention of cardiac rehab. The 66-year-old from Tallaght in Dublin believes cardiac rehab is vital to fuller recovery both physically and mentally.

"When I was released from hospital in 1991, I was let go home with barely a word and very little advice on how to prevent my getting a second one. Over the years, the bad habits crept back,  like my diet and not getting exercise, and when I was out playing golf I started to get chest pain."

"Having a second cardiac event really knocked my confidence and left me feeling down. But going to cardiac rehab gave me a new lease of life. I can't speak highly enough about it. It was wonderful to meet people in the same boat and I learned so much about how to look after myself and how important it is to take my medications. The exercise was great too but it was the talks that really helped me."

"People really opened up during those sessions, including myself and I have to say I felt like a new person at the end of it."

According to the Heart Foundation, cardiac rehab centres around the country report fewer female attendances on their programmes in comparison to men, despite the fact that just as many women as men are affected by heart disease.

Women are seven times more likely to die from heart disease and stroke than from breast cancer.

Angela Cooney, (57) from Dublin understands the risk to women first hand after being fitted with two stents last May following chest pain.

Angela said she felt as though she had experienced 'a near miss' and all she wanted to do was 'wrap herself up in cotton wool'. Going to cardiac rehab, she said, was the key to overcoming her fears.  "I went to rehab with some reservations - I thought I was going to be exercising all day."

"But in fact it was going to the cardiac rehab sessions that helped restore my confidence in myself and in my body. I could ask the nurses about every niggling pain I was worrying about, get the information I needed to look after my heart and learn what my heart was capable of."

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