Cardiac Rehabilitation Program Phases at University of Colorado Hospital

The Cardiovascular Rehabilitation program at University of Colorado Hospital has five phases.

Inpatient Cardiovascular Rehabilitation

Phase I begins when the patient is in University of Colorado Hospital recovering from a cardiovascular episode such as a heart attack or stroke. Patients receive:

  • Information on heart, valve and/or vascular disease
  • Education on managing risk factors
  • Guidance for setting up a safe home exercise program

Immediate Outpatient Cardiovascular Rehabilitation

Phase II teaches patients how to manage heart, valve and vascular disease risk through lifestyle changes.

In addition, patients follow an exercise regimen that includes:

  • Warm-ups and stretching
  • Monitored exercise sessions with frequent checks of blood pressure, heart rate, blood oxygen saturation, etc., by staff
  • Work on various types of equipment, including treadmills, bikes, rowers and steps
  • Cool-down and relaxation sessions
  • Resistance training
  • Exercise prescription that includes development of a program for home exercise

Intermediate Maintenance Cardiovascular Rehabilitation

Phase III (Intermediate Maintenance) is for patients who need to improve their conditioning with staff assistance and monitoring. Patients can only participate in intermediate maintenance with a doctor’s order.

Long-Term Maintenance Cardiovascular Rehabilitation

Phase IV is long-term maintenance for patients who have completed the immediate and intermediate phases. The program is geared to individual exercise, but the staff provides supervision and monitoring of blood pressure, heart rate and recovery.

Preventive Maintenance

The preventive maintenance phase is for patients who are at risk for cardiovascular disease, but have not yet had an incident. Patients must have a doctor’s referral to participate. The program includes:

  • Education on heart disease and stroke
  • Exercise prescriptions developed by staff
  • Home program development plans
  • Resistance training
  • Monitoring of vital signs once a month