Bartlett Regional | House Calls | Winter 2021

www.bartletthospital.org 9 readings are passed on to the referring physician. Revisions in blood pressure medications or dosages are common during a patient’s rehab course. Lipid management High cholesterol has the highest percentage of attributable risk post myocardial infarction. The guidelines on lipid management are constantly changing. Generally, the goal for patients with ischemic coronary disease is to be on high-intensity statin therapy. Diabetes management A quarter of patients referred to cardiac rehab have diabetes. Depending on the type of diabetes, pre- and post-exercise blood sugars are checked daily to identify response to exercise. Patients may meet with our diabetes educator. Tobacco assessment While often the most challenging, smoking cessation is the most important and cost effective of all lifestyle modifications. Mortality can decrease by up to 50% in the first two years in people who quit smoking. Smokers are counseled on cessation and/or can be given medications to help them quit with clearance from their physician. Physical activity counseling Physical activity outside of cardiac rehab can have many of the same benefits: weight loss, reduction in blood pressure and improved lipids. Most guidelines recommend 30 to 60 minutes of moderate activity most days of the week. Guidelines for home exercise are provided to each patient. We strive for the best patient outcomes possible. In 2019, 68% of our patients who completed their prescribed course of cardiac rehab improved their functional capacity. Patients also saw an average increase of 74% of activity minutes per week. A completed cardiac rehabilitation course can have profound effects on patient overall well-being. Our staff does everything possible to customize and accommodate your experience to make it the best it can be in a safe, responsible and well-informed manner. Patients are referred by their primary care providers. We offer cardiac rehab three times per week, on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. We follow COVID-19 protocols and do our best to keep a safe environment. A note from Jacob Sitzmann The first questions I ask a new patient are simple, ‘What’s it like? Do you feel different? How has it affected you and your family? What would you like to get out of this?’ One of the most important variables in becoming better at this job is to try and understand what they are feeling. I feel it’s very important for patients to realize that there isn’t necessarily a fix for heart disease, however, we can manage it exceptionally well. The challenge of helping patients, the science of exercise physiology and cardiovascular disease, and the relationships I build are what keep me coming back. It truly is a rewarding profession.” John’s story Retired Juneau resident and bed and breakfast business owner John George, 73, had his first heart attack in Colorado on Easter Sunday, 2019. “Within an hour, I had a stent,” he recalls. His health care providers there recommended cardiac rehabilitation. Upon his return home, John’s primary care doctor referred him to Bartlett’s Cardiac Rehabilitation program, where he was introduced to his “personal trainer,” Registered Clinical Exercise Physiologist Jacob Sitzmann. For several months, John has been working with Jacob for 40 minutes, three times a week. As John walks swiftly on a treadmill, Jacob takes his blood pressure, monitors his electrocardiogram, and notes his reaction to exercise. “He’s a good guy,” says John about Jacob. “He knows what he’s doing, asks the right questions. I’ve enjoyed working with him. The monitoring is really important. If there is a problem, he can refer me back for additional care.” At first, John says, it felt like work. Twenty-two sessions into his program, he says: “I’m inmuch better shape. Some days you think, ‘Oh I don’t really want to do it,’ but then you just force yourself, and when you’re done you’re glad you did it. It’s just amatter of spending the time. You only have one life, and youmay has well do everything you can to protect it.” From left, John George, cardiac rehabilitation patient, and Jacob Sitzmann, RCEP, Cardiac Rehabilitation Coordinator