Twin Cities' first-of-its-kind heart rehab helps patients through educational program
Steven Youngs never had a heart attack, but he was close.
"I had a tight band go across my chest, and I said, 'uh oh,'" Youngs said.
A trip to the doctor last summer confirmed a massive blockage.
"I'm proud owner now of a 4-millimeter by 14-millimeter stent to my widow maker, 95% blocked. Basically, I was a heart attack waiting to happen," Youngs said.
The scare was a bit of a wake-up call. Heart disease kills more people than all cancers and accidents combined.
Youngs was grateful for the catch but didn't know where to turn next.
"I don't want this to happen again. There needs to be a change," he said. "What do I do?"
It was a question Youngs answered at an intensive cardiac rehab center, a first of its kind to the Twin Cities.
"We're here to give tools and build that self-confidence," Heart Rehab Manager Erin Cuta said. "And that's what cardiac rehab is all about."
From managing medication, movement, mental health and meals, patients attend a 12- to 18-week educational program. Unlike other heart rehabs, it includes a commercial kitchen and dietitian to help implement heart-healthy diet changes.
"One of the purposes of our cooking classes is to expose patients to food they might not normally have had," registered dietician Jennifer Guptail said. "They can taste the food, they can see how it's prepared, and then they know going in that it's something that they're going to enjoy."
Only 30% of patients who are eligible for rehab attend even one session. After the center opened in August of last year, Youngs was the first patient. He is now 10 pounds down and feels confident about getting regular exercise and making his own meals.
"NInety-five percent blocked," he said. "I may have collapsed. And I might not have made it."
He urges anyone facing tightness or pain in their chest to go see a doctor. It could save your life.
