Heart Works

Heart attack or cardiac arrest? The terms are often confused, but they describe two different medical emergencies.

A heart attack is primarily a circulation problem — blood flow to part of the heart muscle becomes blocked or reduced.

Cardiac arrest is primarily an electrical problem — the heart suddenly stops pumping blood effectively, causing loss of consciousness and abnormal or absent breathing.

The two can be connected: a heart attack can sometimes trigger a dangerous heart rhythm that leads to cardiac arrest. But they are not the same condition.

Understanding the difference matters because the immediate response to cardiac arrest is time-critical.

For our Heartworks community, understanding cardiovascular terminology isn't just about knowing the right words. It's about building the knowledge and confidence to recognise what is happening and respond appropriately.

Two different heart events. Two different mechanisms. Both require urgent action.

“Post heart attack — I was in denial.”

Sometimes recovery after a cardiac event doesn't begin with confidence. It begins with acknowledging that things have changed.

This client described being in denial about both their physical and mental state after their heart attack. Their experience at Heartworks was not about a dramatic overnight transformation. It was about gradually rebuilding, with support, encouragement and — as they put it — some persuasion along the way.

We love the description of their experience because that's what rehabilitation can look like. Progress isn't always dramatic or obvious. Sometimes it's simply taking the next step, building confidence and becoming more comfortable in your body again.

And we'll happily accept the final line: “I owe you one :-)”

Thank you for trusting us to be part of your recovery. ❤️

How hard should someone exercise after a cardiac event?

One of the most common questions we hear at HeartWorks is: “Am I pushing hard enough?” Or, conversely, “Am I doing too much?”

The answer isn't simply a target heart rate or a percentage of maximal capacity. Exercise intensity needs to be considered in the context of the individual — their cardiac condition, medications, current fitness, response to previous sessions, recovery, and the physiological capacity they have available on that particular day.

The aim isn't to make every session as hard as possible. It is to provide an appropriate training stimulus that encourages adaptation without compromising recovery.

This is why we look beyond whether someone can complete an exercise. Perceived effort, heart rate response, breathing, symptoms and recovery all provide information that can help guide exercise intensity and progression.

Importantly, clinically-led exercise does not mean avoiding challenge. It means applying the right level of challenge for the individual, then adjusting that challenge as their capacity changes.

A session that leaves someone completely exhausted isn't necessarily a better session. Equally, consistently underloading someone may not provide enough stimulus to promote further adaptation.

The skill is finding the balance between stimulus, response and recovery.

For cardiac rehabilitation, that balance is individual — and it can change over time.

Recovery after a cardiac event isn't just physical. ❤️

When we think about cardiovascular recovery, we often focus on the things we can measure: blood pressure, cholesterol, fitness, physical activity and other risk factors.

But there is another part of recovery that can be much harder to measure — connection.

Research has explored the relationship between loneliness, social isolation and cardiovascular disease, with evidence suggesting that both are associated with increased cardiovascular risk and poorer outcomes for people living with cardiovascular conditions. Importantly, loneliness and social isolation are not the same thing. Someone can have plenty of social contact and still feel lonely, while someone who lives alone may not necessarily feel lonely.

What seems to matter is the quality and meaning of our social connections.

Loneliness can also interact with other aspects of health, including stress, sleep, physical activity and health behaviours. For someone recovering from a cardiac event, these factors can all become part of the bigger picture.

This is why cardiac rehabilitation is about more than improving fitness.

Having somewhere to exercise, connect with others, build confidence and feel supported can be an important part of the recovery journey. Sometimes, simply being around people who understand what you're going through can make returning to activity feel a little less daunting.

Recovery isn't just about getting fitter. It's also about rebuilding confidence, connection and a sense of belonging.

Reference: Valtorta NK, Kanaan M, Gilbody S, Ronzi S, Hanratty B. Loneliness and social isolation as risk factors for coronary heart disease and stroke: systematic review and meta-analysis of longitudinal observational studies. Heart. 2016;102:1009–1016.

Our next Heartworks Education Evening is coming up soon. These evenings are welcoming, practical, and packed with evidence-based information that can help you better understand your health, recovery, and wellbeing.

The theme for the third education evening of 2026 is The Nervous System, Fatigue & Emotional Recovery.

For now, save the date— Thursday 10th September at 5:30pm— we’ll be sharing our speakers and full topics very soon.

Save the Date: Heartworks Education Evening - https://mailchi.mp/heartworks/save-the-date-heartworks-education-evening

Why isn’t cardiac rehabilitation just exercise at a gym? ❤️

Exercise is an important part of recovery after a cardiac event or diagnosis, but the right exercise programme needs to account for more than general fitness goals.

A gym-based programme might focus on improving strength, endurance, mobility or body composition. For many people, this is an appropriate and effective approach. Cardiac rehabilitation has a different starting point.

Exercise prescription needs to consider the individual’s cardiac history, medications, symptoms, cardiovascular response to exercise, current physical capacity and other relevant clinical considerations. From there, the programme can be individualised and progressed as their capacity changes.

Clinical supervision also means we can assess not simply whether someone can complete an exercise, but how they respond to it. Heart rate, blood pressure, symptoms, perceived exertion, recovery and movement quality can all provide information that helps guide exercise prescription and progression.

Importantly, clinically-led rehabilitation does not mean avoiding challenging exercise or being overly cautious. It means finding the right level of challenge within an individual’s clinical and physical capacity, and progressing that challenge as they become fitter, stronger and more confident.

The difference isn't simply where someone exercises. It is the assessment, individualisation, monitoring, clinical decision-making and progression that sit behind the exercise programme.

That is what makes cardiac rehabilitation different from generic exercise.

There’s a lot that goes into cardiac rehabilitation beyond the exercise itself.

Support. Guidance. Encouragement. And sometimes, being challenged when you need it.

But there’s something else that matters too: the people you share the journey with.

As this client reflected, it was the combination of support and challenge that made a difference — but it was also the laughter and connection within the class that they’ll remember.

That’s something we value deeply at HeartWorks.

Because recovery isn’t only about what happens on an exercise assessment. It’s also about building confidence, finding enjoyment in movement again, and having a place where you feel comfortable being yourself.

And sometimes, the moments that stay with you are the ones that make you laugh.

We’re grateful to have been part of this journey. ❤️

Strength training after a cardiac event 💪❤️

When people think about exercise after a cardiac event, they often think about walking, cycling, or other forms of aerobic exercise.

But strength training has an important role too.

The 2024 American Heart Association and American Association of Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Rehabilitation scientific statement identifies strength training as a core component of cardiac rehabilitation — alongside aerobic exercise, risk-factor management, psychosocial support, and physical activity counselling.

Strength training helps maintain and improve muscle strength, physical function, and the ability to perform everyday activities. It can also have favourable effects on cardiovascular risk factors, including blood pressure, blood glucose, lipids, and body composition.

Importantly, strength training after a cardiac event is not about lifting the heaviest weight possible.

It is about applying an appropriate level of resistance, using good technique, and progressing the exercise as the individual adapts.

This is why strength training forms an important part of a well-rounded cardiac rehabilitation programme. Aerobic exercise trains the cardiovascular system, while resistance exercise helps build and maintain the muscular strength needed to support everyday function.

Cardiac rehabilitation isn't just about getting your heart fitter. It's about getting your whole body stronger and more capable.

References:
Brown TM et al. (2024). Core Components of Cardiac Rehabilitation Programs: 2024 Update: A Scientific Statement From the American Heart Association and the American Association of Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Rehabilitation. Circulation, 150, e328–e347.

Understanding your diagnosis is an important part of managing it. ❤️

Coronary artery disease is one of the most common forms of cardiovascular disease, yet many people don't fully understand what the diagnosis means beyond having “blocked arteries.”

Understanding what is happening within the coronary arteries, why treatment may be required, and why ongoing management remains important can help people take a more informed approach to their cardiovascular health.

Cardiac rehabilitation is not simply about recovering from a cardiac event. It is an opportunity to understand your condition, improve your physical capacity, and develop strategies that support long-term risk reduction.

Swipe through to understand CAD in simple terms.