Thanks to rehab, Denny is blooming again.
After 36 sessions of cardiac rehab from open heart surgery, Denny Bleess has recovered enough to get back to his flower gardens.
Cardiopulmonary Services
Your heart is in the very best hands.
Having a heart attack or heart surgery can be a lonely, frightening experience. Fortunately, most people recover and are able to return to their normal work and leisure activities—but recovery does not happen by itself. At Alomere Health, we’ve developed a team of cardiac rehabilitation professionals to help you with your recovery, every step of the way.
The most important member of our team is you. Other members include your physician, a specially trained nurse, physical therapist, dietician, pharmacies, and a respiratory care practitioner.
Our goals are to assist you in improving your heart and lung function with monitored graded exercise, helping you become aware of and modify factors that put you at a higher risk for developing further heart problems and also provide support to you and your family during this crisis.
We support you with a two-phase program.
Phase I is the inpatient program, beginning in the hospital with low-level activity and 1:1 education.
Phase II is the outpatient program beginning after discharge from the hospital with close observation, telemetry monitoring while exercising, group education, and follow-up reports to your physician. On discharge, you are encouraged to continue with your home exercise program or enroll in one of many community exercise programs.
For more information on cardiac rehab, contact our team at 320-762-6005.
Our Cardiopulmonary Services
Echocardiographs
Echocardiograph is a diagnostic tool used by physicians to evaluate a patient’s heart function using a sophisticated ultrasound machine.
Echocardiology
An echocardiogram, also known as a cardiac ultrasound, uses standard ultrasound techniques to image two-dimensional slices of the heart. The latest ultrasound systems now employ three-dimensional real-time imaging.
In addition to creating two-dimensional pictures of the cardiovascular system, an echocardiogram can also produce an accurate assessment of the velocity of blood and cardiac tissue at any arbitrary point using pulsed or continuous wave Doppler ultrasound. This allows an assessment of cardiac valve areas and function, any abnormal communications between the left and right side of the heart, any leaking of blood through the valves (valvular regurgitation), and calculation of the cardiac output as well as the ejection fraction.
EKGs (Electrocardiograms)
Electrocardiogram – whether done in ER on a patient with chest pain, or done as a pre-op evaluation, EKG’s are a diagnostic tool to evaluate a patient’s heart by measuring its electrical output. Over 3,000 EKG’s are performed at Alomere Health every year.
Cardiac Stress Testing
Stress testing is done to help determine how well a person’s heart can respond to exercise. By exercising, the heart beats faster and requires more oxygen. If there are blockages in the coronary arteries, changes on the EKG can occur, showing the physician that further heart testing may be needed.
During a stress test patients are hooked up to an EKG monitor and exercise is started at a low level and gradually increased as tolerated. If a patient is unable to walk on a treadmill, a drug may be given to cause the heart to beat faster and stage simulating exercise. A regular stress test generally takes 60-90 minutes to complete.
Stress test abnormalities (i.e., “positive” results) are an indication of imbalances of relative blood flow to the left ventricular muscle tissue. This is important because the left ventricle of the heart performs the greatest amount of work involved in pumping blood around the body. Stress testing does not detect blood flow imbalances within the other three heart chambers.
Nuclear Medicine Stress Tests
Cardiolite stress testing is a stress test where nuclear medicine imaging is added to allow special pictures of the heart to be taken.
Pulmonary Rehabilitation
Pulmonary Rehabilitation is a comprehensive program consisting of exercise and education. It is designed to help patients with lung disorders increase their exercise levels as well as learn how to manage their disease.
Respiratory Care
Respiratory Care staff provides safe and efficient care for patients who are in need. With over 110 years of combined experience, our Nationally Credentialed staff work in all areas of the hospital providing competent and compassionate care.
Pulmonary Function Testing
Pulmonary function testing is a way of measuring and evaluating a patient’s lung volumes. The test is a valuable tool in helping physicians diagnose lung disorders such as asthma or COPD.
Learn More
Linda is thriving again!
After the loss of her husband, getting COVID, shingles, and a 90% artery blockage—Linda is recovering well with the help of Alomere.
Investing in people pays off.
Cardiopulmonary Services Director, David Holm saw potential in Mac Strong as a senior in high school—and encouraged him all through college.
Respiratory Therapist of the Year!
Spotlight: April Brejcha, CRT.
