Clinton’s Bout With Heart Disease A Lesson For All

Patients like former President Bill Clinton who have heart bypass surgery need to listen to the advice of their cardiac surgeons and cardiologists about diet and exercise to avoid further serious health problems, according to experts in the Heart Institute at Bridgeport Hospital.

“Even though heart disease remains the leading cause of death in the United States for men and women, many people fail to do the simple things that can keep them healthy — eat right, exercise regularly, and reduce the stress in their lives,” said Dr Stuart Zarich, Bridgeport Hospital’s chief of cardiology.

Healthy lifestyle habits are even more important for people with a personal or family history of heart disease, Dr Zarich said.

“If you’ve undergone bypass surgery or balloon angioplasty, you can’t just join a gym when you get out of the hospital,” he says. “Patients recovering from medical or surgical treatment for coronary artery disease must work closely with their physicians on a safe, effective plan of action to achieve and maintain a healthy lifestyle.”

Dr Zarich recommends a cardiac rehabilitation program conducted by health care professionals as the best place for heart patients to begin their recovery.

“We can look at all aspects of a patient’s lifestyle, based on the patient’s age, physical ability, and other health problems, and design a customized rehabilitation strategy,” said registered dietitian Suzanne Pollard-Quintner, manager of Healthy Hearts 2, Bridgeport Hospital’s outpatient cardiac rehabilitation program, which also includes nurses and exercise physiologists.

After completing the three-month Healthy Hearts 2 Program, patients have a framework for continuing with a healthy lifestyle, Ms Pollard-Quintner said.

For people who have not yet been hospitalized with heart disease, but who have a family history or are at high-risk for problems, Bridgeport Hospital offers Project Heart Smart, an eight-week cardiac wellness program that provides much of the same helpful information and professional supervision as the Cardiac Rehabilitation Program.

For information about Project Heart Smart, call 203-384-4444. For information on eligibility criteria for Healthy Hearts 2, call 203-384-3803. Information about both programs is also available by visiting www.bridgeporthospital.com and choosing “The Heart Institute” from the “Specialties” menu at the top of the home page.

The Heart Institute at Bridgeport Hospital offers a comprehensive range of cardiovascular services, including open-heart surgery, angioplasty, sophisticated heart rhythm care, and cardiac rehabilitation and wellness programs.