Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation

Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation helps individuals with pulmonary disease lessen their symptoms by making healthy lifestyle changes and being more active. It also provides education and support to manage living with chronic lung disease. Chronic lung disease may include emphysema, chronic bronchitis and asthma.

Cardiopulmonary Rehab meets Tuesdays & Thursdays for 6-12 weeks. If you meet certain medical criteria, some of the cost of the program is covered by Medicare and many private insurance carriers will also cover some of the cost.

Education is a very important part of the Cardiopulmonary Rehab program. Educational topics include:

  • Breathing retraining and paced walking
  • Lung diseases
  • Safe exercise
  • Medications
  • Keeping your lungs clean and healthy
  • Conserving energy
  • Eating to feel better
  • Managing stress

Who Is Eligible?

Eligibility is based upon the following:

  • A diagnosis of moderate to severe pulmonary disease
  • The results of your pulmonary function test show the severity of your disease and the results are no older than one year
  • A non-smoker or participating in a smoking cessation program

To ensure success, you must be motivated to participate and you must continue to use all that you will learn, even after you complete your rehab sessions.

For more information on Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation, talk to your care provider or call the Cardiopulmonary Therapy Department at 641-456-5027.

For more information on Cardiopulmonary/Respiratory Therapy services, visit our Respiratory Therapy page.