People with heart failure may be referred for cardiac rehabilitation. Rehabilitation programmes are provided by specialist staff and may offer special exercise classes and advice sessions.

Rehab programmes vary; some specialise in heart failure, others are more general and will include people with heart failure as well as those recovering from heart attack or heart surgery. Classes may be held in hospitals or organised locally and are held at GP surgeries, community centres and residential homes. In some places local patient support groups, run on a voluntary basis or by healthcare staff, organise meetings and other events for people with heart disease (see 'Resources' section).

Those who had experienced cardiac rehab generally felt it was worthwhile, though some remarked that those with heart failure were usually outnumbered by people who had had heart attacks. Several people went to exercise and relaxation classes once or twice a week and one woman described a relaxation technique called 'stop, drop and flop' she had learned in class. Several people said that rehab classes had been important to them in the beginning and had helped them understand more about heart disease. One man said he had only gone once but felt it had given him hope to hear what others had achieved. Another person said that even though he didn't go to classes he sometimes called in to see the rehabilitation nurse at his local hospital or rang her for help and advice.

Describes her cardiac rehab programme which includes a session of relaxation.

Describes the rehabilitation programme at her hospital.

He attended one rehab class and found other people's experiences gave him a bit of hope.

Not everyone who wanted it was offered cardiac rehab; for instance a woman who was recovering from surgery thought that rehab and some form of home-based follow-up would have helped improve her confidence. Someone else was told she was unsuitable for rehab which had made her very angry at first until nurses explained exactly why. Later she joined a local patient support group and found it extremely helpful (see below).

Feels that she needed some follow-up and rehabilitation to help her manage her heart failure at home.

Those we talked to differed in their response to support groups; some said they hadn't tried them and thought they were just not their 'sort of thing', others who spoke from experience said they were a lifeline. One woman said she found that sharing her problems with others in the group helped her and also that she enjoyed the social side of it. Others talked about the money support groups raised for hospital equipment and the social events they organised which encouraged people on their own to go out more. Apart from the social aspect of support groups, one carer said that his support group helped to keep him up to date with the latest research on heart disease.

Says that being in a support group helped her because she shared problems with other people.

Describes what happens at her support group and why she enjoys it.

Support groups who have helped Healthtalkonline include Heart to Herts, Redditch Hale and Hearties, Solihull Heart Support Group, Heartbeat (Oxon), Hearts and Souls, Throb, Heartbeat (East Suffolk), Brave Hearts. See 'Resources' section for details.

• What kind of rehabilitation should people with heart failure expect to be offered? 
• How should you go about setting up a patient support group?

Last reviewed March 2010.

Last updated March 2010.