[{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/2020\/09\/cardiac-rehab\/#Article","mainEntityOfPage":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/2020\/09\/cardiac-rehab\/","headline":"Jim’s Cardiac Rehab Story","name":"Jim’s Cardiac Rehab Story","description":"In less than a year, Jim Flynn has lost more than 30 pounds,\u00a0and his blood sugar and A1c levels have improved to the\u00a0point where he no longer needs medication.\u00a0His path to a healthier lifestyle, however, started with a\u00a0heart attack in March.   \u201cI worked for 43 years in finance and I was a classic\u00a0example of […]","datePublished":"2020-09-21","dateModified":"2023-04-17","author":{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/www.upmc.com\/services\/heart-vascular","name":"Heart and Vascular Institute","url":"https:\/\/www.upmc.com\/services\/heart-vascular","sameAs":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/heart-and-vascular-institute\/","parentOrganization":"UPMC"},"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"UPMC HealthBeat","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/UPMC-HealthBeat-Logo.png","url":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/UPMC-HealthBeat-Logo.png","width":600,"height":60}},"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/Questions-About-Hemorrhoids.jpg","url":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/Questions-About-Hemorrhoids.jpg","height":325,"width":751},"url":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/2020\/09\/cardiac-rehab\/","about":["Health Topics A-Z","Heart and Vascular Health","UPMC Stories"],"wordCount":416,"articleBody":"In less than a year, Jim Flynn has lost more than 30 pounds,\u00a0and his blood sugar and A1c levels have improved to the\u00a0point where he no longer needs medication.\u00a0His path to a healthier lifestyle, however, started with a\u00a0heart attack in March.  \u201cI worked for 43 years in finance and I was a classic\u00a0example of an unhealthy person,\u201d Jim explained. \u201cI was\u00a0diabetic, I had high blood pressure, and I was overweight.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0When he woke up in the middle of the night with chest\u00a0pain, he knew it was a heart attack.\u00a0After a quick trip to UPMC Lititz, Jim got care immediately\u00a0from Gregory Cox, DO, interventional cardiologist with\u00a0UPMC Heart and Vascular Institute, and the rest of the\u00a0hospital\u2019s team.\u00a0\u00a0\u201cWhen the blood stops flowing to the heart due to a\u00a0blockage, it needs to be opened as soon as possible to\u00a0prevent further damage,\u201d explained Dr. Cox.\u00a0\u201cThey cared for me like I was somebody special,\u201d said\u00a0Jim. \u201cWhen I came home, I was very thankful to feel much\u00a0better.\u201d\u00a0In reality, Jim\u2019s\u00a0health was still not good. \u201cWe can\u2019t cure the\u00a0problem in the hospital,\u201d explained Dr. Cox. \u201cWe treated\u00a0the results that night but not the underlying cause.\u201d\u00a0Fortunately, UPMC offered Jim a way to a healthier\u00a0lifestyle.\u00a0Cardiac Rehabilitation\u201cMy first week home, the staff from the cardiac rehab unit\u00a0called me and asked me take part,\u201d Jim recalls.\u00a0\u00a0Cardiac rehabilitation is recommended for patients\u00a0recovering from a heart attack, congestive heart failure,\u00a0or heart surgery. It aims to help patients regain control of\u00a0their health. It combines exercise, health education, and\u00a0counseling to help patients improve their overall health and\u00a0lower their risk of future heart issues.\u00a0They started slowly with some\u00a0basic exercises and built Jim\u2019s\u00a0strength up. By the end of the\u00a0three-month program, Jim\u00a0was feeling better and he\u00a0stayed committed to what\u00a0he learned. The results are\u00a0incredible.\u00a0\u201cI feel very good,\u201d he said.\u00a0\u201cThroughout all the treatment\u00a0from UPMC \u2014 from the night\u00a0of the heart attack to leaving rehab \u2014 I\u2019ve had excellent\u00a0care. I couldn\u2019t be happier with everyone and how much I\u00a0benefited from their care.\u201d\u00a0\u201cI\u2019m very impressed with his lifestyle change,\u201d said Dr. Cox.\u00a0\u201cDue to his motivation and the rehab program, Jim has\u00a0taken a big step toward helping to manage his disease on\u00a0a long-term basis.\u201d\u00a0For more information about cardiac rehabilitation at\u00a0UPMC Lititz, call 717-625-5055.\u00a0"},{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"2020","item":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/2020\/#breadcrumbitem"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"09","item":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/2020\/\/09\/#breadcrumbitem"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"name":"Jim’s Cardiac Rehab Story","item":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/2020\/09\/cardiac-rehab\/#breadcrumbitem"}]}]