You gotta have heart Mountain Hearts Cardiac Rehabilitation

Photo Contributed Robert Allen works out while having his heart rate checked by Exercise Specialist Sarah Dupree.

Easy-going, Robert Allen is brimming with good spirits and health. The "almost 65-year-old" Cherokee County native is pedaling away on his exercise bike at Mountain Hearts Cardiac Rehabilitation. It wasn't always this way.

Four years ago Allen suffered a serious heart attack and stroke. He was unable to use most of his left side properly. It was then an Asheville doctor told him his days of trout fishing were over. Allen could barely drag his left foot across the floor.

Weeks after his heart attack, Allen started with the Mountain Hearts Cardiac Rehabilitation program. Allen followed the carefully structured cardiac rehabilitation program offered by Murphy Medical Center.

Only six weeks after the Asheville doctor's pronouncement, an energetic Allen strode into his office. The doctor was stunned.

"You've been fishing, haven't you," the doctor asked the smiling Allen.

"Yes, several times," was Allen's quick reply. His youngest daughter told the doctor, "He was going to fish if he had to crawl there."

Photo Contributed Amy Trout, program director for MMC's Cardiac Rehab, holds a degree from University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill in Exercise Science, later returning to school for a nursing degree.

But he didn't have to, thanks to his hard work in rehabilitation. Allen credits the program with saving his life.

"I lost over 100 pounds since I started here," Allen said citing his three times a week workout at the center as well as dieting and walking at home. "I worked very hard at it. I had lots of good support. Family and friends helped me."

Not only did Allen suffer from his heart attack and stroke, he also battled diabetes. Since he's been working out in the rehabilitation program, he takes "only one pill" a day and says his diabetes is well under control.

This past Monday, Allen good naturedly endured teasing by his exercise partners. The group's camaraderie is apparent. Joking with Exercise Specialist Sarah Dupree, Allen mounted his exercise bike for the first part of his exercise routine. Allen feels it's important to continue attending the program.

Photo Contributed Sarah Dupree, is the exercise specialist, assisting patients with their exercises and rehabilitation program.

"I keep coming here to make sure I exercise. They check my blood pressure and heart rate," Allen said. "I feel really good about it. Guess I'll go fishing."

How cardiac rehab works:

Heart attacks are scary for both patients and their families. Together they'll find support in the rehab program. The Mountain Hearts Cardiac Rehab Program Director Amy Trout emphasizes her rehab program is multifaceted; not simply patients exercising on equipment.

MMC's cardiac rehabilitation program offers patients and their family emotional support, nutritional assessments as well as the educational and exercise components. Dietary assessments are done with MMC's Registered Dietian Jenna Asbill. New patients may also be referred for stress management counseling with psychologist Becky McCarley.

Patients may be referred by a physician. But you don't have to wait for a referral. Generally rehab starts two to three weeks after the heart's injury, but rehab can also benefit patients with older injuries as well.

Photo contributed Mike Regner is both a registered nurse and a respiratory therapist who works part time with the Mountain Hearts Cardiac Rehabilitation program.

Each newly diagnosed or beginner patient has a pre-program assessment which includes a "walk test" and a history and physical assessment. Staff members design rehab programs around each patient's baseline ability and personal goals.

Patients are shown how to use each piece of equipment. Heart monitoring electrodes are placed on a patient's chest, allowing a specialized wireless transmitter to send a tracing of his or her heart's rhythm to a monitor.

The highly trained rehab staff regularly monitors their exercising client's blood pressure, heart rate and rhythms. Monthly reports are sent to referring physicians showing the patient's rhythm during exercise and "cool down" periods.

After a patient completes the three month rehabilitation program, a post-program assessment is done to see how patients have met their individual goals. This information is then entered into a computer database and compared to other cardiac rehab programs nationally for performance improvement.

Recent studies show that patients completing a full cardiac rehabilitation program can reduce their chances of another heart attack by 50 percent. That's a pretty big motivator in itself.

Mid-February Mountain Hearts Cardiac Rehabilitation moved into a larger, newly renovated space. Extra equipment has been added, allowing for groups up to ten to exercise together. It surprises Trout that there are more men than women exercising since heart disease is the #1 killer of women in the US. Recent studies released by Kaiser have shown women have hidden heart disease and may not be symptomatic during an attack.

The Mountain Hearts Cardiac Rehab program is the only one of it's kind in the immediate area, in Union, Towns, Clay, Cherokee and Graham Counties.

All the staff members are CPR trained, and hold Advanced Cardiac Life Support certifications.