Rehabilitative Care of a Patient with IHD and LVF

Cardiac rehabilitation is the restoration of a person to an optimal state of function. Cardiovascular diseases are the major cause of death which kills almost 10 times more women than breast cancer and more deaths in women than men. In cardiac rehabilitation we need to understand that ischemic heart disease is a chronic disease. It will not be cured nor will it disappear by itself. Therefore basic changes in life style must be made to promote recovery and health. The nurse can play a major role in teaching health promoting behaviors to the person at risk for CAD. The nurse caring for the older adults with IHD must be aware of the physiologic changes that occur in the cardiovascular system. So it is important that nurses should be included in a cardiac rehabilitation program. As nurses we need to equip our population to identify the important risk factors like obesity, physical inactivity, stress and consumption of fatty foods to halt the progress of this deadly disease. Case studies are often more effective than brochures, because everyone loves stories. There is a saying, "A picture is worth a thousand words". The following case study is chosen to illustrate the Rehabilitative care of Ischemic Heart Disease & Left ventricular failure.