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Prevention of heart disease should be done in early childhood. The school should provide daily activities which allows children to exercise (e.g. running, swimming), and learn to behave appropriately at home. During adolescent years, the best preventions are to control body weight, control intake of high fat food, and refrain from smoking.
At Samitivej Hospital, our physicians and physical therapists can conduct a physical fitness test and recommend the appropriate exercise for each individual. People in high risk group, such as those with high blood pressure or have high cholesterol in the blood, should check the heart condition by doing an exercise test by a cardiac specialist before beginning an exercise program.
Exercise Steps
| 1. |
Warm up for 5-10 minutes. |
| 2. |
Stretch for 5-10 minutes to prepare the muscles before exercising. |
| 3. |
Perform aerobic exercise for 30-60 minutes (e.g. walking, jogging, bicycling) |
| 4. |
Cool down for 5-10 minutes by reducing the intensity of the exercise and stretching the muscles to allow the body to adjust to the exercise and return to normal state. |
Exercise Recommendations
| 1. |
Wear appropriate clothes and shoes for the weather/climate. |
| 2. |
After eating a heavy meal, should wait at least 2 hours before you exercise. |
| 3. |
Should not consume drinks with caffeine within 2 hours before you exercise because it will make the heart beat abnormally fast. |
| 4. |
Do not clench your fists or stiffen your arms while holding onto the treadmill rails or the bike handles because it can make your blood pressure higher than normal. |
| 5. |
If you would like to take a shower after the exercise, should take a warm shower. Avoid showering with water that is too cold or too hot. |
| 6. |
Should stop exercising when have a fever or a cold. |
| 7. |
Breathe regularly during the exercise. Do not hold your breath. |
| 8. |
Should exercise 4-6 times a week. |
| 9. |
Should not exercise "too hard" - until you are out of breath or have difficulty talking. |
Walking Exercise Recommendations
| 1. |
Should walk on level ground. Avoid steep surface. |
| 2. |
Should exercise according to the recommended level and intensity. When you feel tired, should slow down or rest. |
| 3. |
Do not exercise if the weather is sweltering hot or too cold. Should dress appropriately for the weather. |
Things to Watch Out During Exercising
If you experience the following symptoms, stop exercising. If the condition does not improve, inform your physician.
| 1. |
Become nauseous or dizzy during exercising or afterward. |
| 2. |
Feel very tired or fatigue and the condition does not improve after a brief rest. |
| 3. |
Pulse is too fast or suddenly drops while exercising. |
| 4. |
Have pain in the joint or muscles. |
| 5. |
Have chest pain or sharp pain in the molar, teeth, ear, neck, hand and back. |
| 6. |
Vomit, body becomes very cold and sweaty, or feel exhausted. |
The main purpose of secondary prevention for patients who has been diagnosed with heart disease is to reduce the chance of recurrence or the need to be treated at a hospital. It is recommended for patients whose heart muscle has received insufficient blood (angina) or who had coronary by-pass operation and in stable condition.
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During the first two weeks after the angina or after patient's condition has stabilized from a coronary by-pass operation, patients can begin to light exercise while under close supervision from health personnel. The check for stabilization is conducted by using an EKG and blood pressure monitor. |
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Between two to six weeks after the angina or after patient's condition has stabilized from a coronary by-pass operation, each patient should receive a heart check up before determining appropriate exercise program. During this period, the health personnel will closely monitor each patient while exercising. Patients are allowed to exercise by themselves only after approval from their physician. |
Exercise Steps
| 1. |
Warm up for 5-10 minutes. |
| 2. |
Stretch for 5-10 minutes to prepare the muscles before exercising. |
| 3. |
Perform aerobic exercise for 30-60 minutes, such as walking and bicycling. Monitor the pulse and ensure it's in appropriate range. |
| 4. |
Cool down for 5-10 minutes by reducing the intensity of the exercise and stretching the muscles to allow the body to adjust to the exercise and return to normal state. |
Exercise Recommendations
| 1. |
Wear appropriate clothes and shoes for the weather/climate. |
| 2. |
After eating a heavy meal, should wait at least 2 hours before you exercise. |
| 3. |
Should not consume drinks with caffeine within 2 hours before you exercise because it will make the heart beat abnormally fast. |
| 4. |
Do not clench your fists or stiffen your arms while holding onto the treadmill rails or the bike handles because it can make your blood pressure higher than normal. |
| 5. |
If you would like to take a shower after the exercise, should take a warm shower. Avoid showering with water that is too cold or too hot. |
| 6. |
Should stop exercising when have a fever or a cold. |
| 7. |
Breathe regularly during the exercise. Do not hold your breath. |
| 8. |
Should exercise 3-4 times a week. |
| 9. |
Should exercise "lightly" - within the recommended intensity. |
Walking Exercise Recommendations
| 1. |
Should walk on level ground. Avoid steep surface. |
| 2. |
Should exercise according to the recommended level and intensity. When you feel tired, should slow down or rest. |
| 3. |
Do not exercise if the weather is sweltering hot or too cold. Should dress appropriately for the weather. |
Things to Watch Out During Exercising
If you experience the following symptoms, stop exercising. If the condition does not improve, inform your physician.
| 1. |
Become nauseous or dizzy while exercising or afterward. |
| 2. |
Feel very tired or fatigue and the condition does not improve after a brief rest. |
| 3. |
Pulse is too fast or suddenly drops while exercising.
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For patients who did not have a coronary by-pass surgery, the pulse should not be higher than 20 beats per minute above normal resting pulse rate. The maximum pulse should not exceed 120 times per minute. |
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For patients who had a coronary by-pass surgery, the pulse should not be higher than 30 beats per minute above normal resting pulse rate. The maximum pulse should not exceed 130 times per minute. | |
| 4. |
Have pain in the joint or muscles. |
| 5. |
Have chest pain or sharp pain in the molar, teeth, ear, neck, hand and back. |
| 6. |
Vomit, body becomes very cold and sweaty, or feel exhausted | |
