PREVENTIVE CARDIOLOGY
PREVENTIVE CARDIOLOGY
AVERAGE OF OVER 9,000 PHASE II CARDIAC REHABILITATION VISITS ANNUALLY
PHYSICIAN FACULTY ARE NATIONALLY & INTERNATIONALLY RECOGNIZED FOR THEIR CONTRIBUTIONS TO PREVENTIVE CARDIOLOGY
CERTIFIED BY THE AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF CARDIOVASCULAR AND PULMONARY REHABILITATION ( AACVPR )
UAB ’ s multidisciplinary Preventive Cardiology program offers expertise to help reduce the risk for cardiovascular disease and related complications across the continuum of care . Our faculty are nationally and internationally recognized for their contributions to the field of preventive cardiology , and our experienced staff includes cardiologists , nurses , American College of Sports Medicine ( ACSM ) -certified clinical exercise physiologists , nutritionists , psychologists , pharmacists , and a certified yoga teacher . This program provides medically supervised inpatient and outpatient primary and secondary prevention services . We develop prevention plans that are individualized for each patient , with an emphasis on evaluation , treatment , and management of complex lipid disorders related to such factors as genetics , lifestyle , and underlying health conditions .
CARDIAC REHABILITATION The established benefits of cardiac rehabilitation ( CR ) plans include reduced cardiac mortality , improved quality of life , and fewer hospitalizations . UAB ’ s CR program is certified by the American Association of Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Rehabilitation ( AACVPR ), representing UAB ’ s adherence to standards and guidelines of care for patients undergoing cardiac rehabilitation . Participation in the AACVPR national registry further helps providers measure and improve patient care . UAB ’ s program leaders recently were selected to be the analytical center for the national AACVPR registry , again representing our commitment to a high standard of care .
UAB ’ s comprehensive CR program , known as Phase II , includes medically supervised exercise training , treatment of cardiovascular risk factors , lifestyle modifications , and stress management .
Our preventive cardiology services include :
• Comprehensive cardiovascular risk assessment
• Multidisciplinary risk intervention
• Medical management to lower lipid levels
• Advanced cardiac imaging
• Nutrition services
• Rate Your Plate – eating pattern assessment tool
• 6-Min Walk – assessment of distance walked over 6 minutes to test aerobic capacity / distance
• METS ( Metabolic Equivalent of Tasks ) – a measurement of the amount of oxygen consumed while sitting at rest
• Dartmouth COOP – functional status assessment
Our program provides evidence of the positive impact of CR therapy on patients who complete it . UAB data show a 208 % increase in exercise minutes per day and a 100 % increase in exercise days per week for patients who complete CR therapy . On average , UAB ’ s cardiac rehabilitation program staff manage over 9,000 cardiac rehabilitation visits and more than 4,000 inpatient consults annually .
PATIENTS ’ PERCENTAGE INCREASE FROM BASELINE TO THERAPY COMPLETION
2 UAB Cardiovascular Institute Annual Report