Heartbeats Charitable Trust launches new exercise-based cardiac rehabilitation and prevention programme

Heartbeats Charitable Trust has launched its first new exercise-based cardiac rehabilitation and prevention programme, the Heartbeats CARDIO.

Designed in collaboration with the University of Auckland’s Health and Rehabilitation Research Centre, CARDIO is a gym and community-based rehabilitation programme, delivered through qualified clinical exercise physiologists over a twelve-week period.

Heartbeats CARDIO is based on proven and successful programmes overseas, where it’s been recorded that they can help to reduce all-cause readmission rate by up to 28% within the first 12 months post discharge.

It features ongoing clinical monitoring and assessments, personalised programme tailored to an individual’s heart condition provided by clinical exercise physiologists, combined with professional diet advice and mind-body counselling with peer-to-peer support from Heartbeats’ community network.

Heartbeats CARDIO is estimated to save over 150 lives per year and around $12 million in direct healthcare costs.

Founder of the Trust and fellow heart event survivor, Trent Lash says what makes this programme unique is that it is designed to go well beyond the programmes currently delivered by the public healthcare sector.

“We’ve designed this programme for the benefit of our communities. It is a highly personalised programme with full wraparound services to improve the health of people living with heart conditions,” says Trent.

Dr Paul Marshall from the Health and Rehabilitation Research Centre at the University of Auckland says both exercise and community support are important to cardiac rehabilitation and believes the programme can greatly improve the quality of life for cardiac patients.

"By harnessing the expertise of clinical exercise physiologists to design personalised exercise programmes tailored to each individual's needs and circumstances, Heartbeats CARDIO stands at the forefront of cardiac rehabilitation and prevention in Aotearoa.

“With the invaluable peer-to-peer support from Heartbeats' community network, this programme is uniquely positioned to enhance the quality of life for cardiac patients on a personal level.

“Heartbeats CARDIO is a testament to the power of compassion, science, and collaboration in crafting tailored care plans. Together with Heartbeats, we want to make a profound difference in the lives of those living with heart conditions, empower our communities to embrace proactive cardiac care, and foster a path to lasting wellbeing,” says Dr Marshall.

Heartbeats CARDIO is currently being run at the University of Auckland’s Newmarket campus. The Trust is now proactively seeking sustainable funding to scale the programme throughout Auckland.

Cardiovascular diseases remain the leading cause of death in Aotearoa New Zealand and are responsible for almost 10,000 deaths every year in the country.

Heart event survivors and those who live with heart conditions are encouraged to attend cardiac rehabilitation to reduce the risk of readmission or disease progression.