You would think that recovering from a heart transplant would involve plenty of rest, but researchers at St. Paul’s Hospital are finding the opposite is true.
They have found that physical activity is an integral part of recovering from heart failure.
“I think something like 80 per cent of people go on to do very well,” says Mary Mackenzie of St. Paul’s, who notes that’s a particularly high number when you consider a patient’s health prior to needing a mechanical device like a left ventricular assist device (LVAD).
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The researchers presented their findings at the Canadian Cardiovascular Congress, the largest conference of its kind in the country.
Heart transplant patient Cam Shuttleworth says he’s a perfect example of how exercise can transform a person’s life. He was on an LVAD for six months and before he got his transplant in 2011, he stopped smoking, lost 75 pounds and was exercising regularly. He says it’s “been full speed ahead ever since.”
According to patients like Shuttleworth, exercise can also provide a mental boost that is crucial to recovery.
-with files from Elaine Yong
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