Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital is provided by the physical therapy department. Our therapists are specially trained in the care of patients with disorders of both the heart and the lung systems. Rehabilitation may include cardiac rehab, pulmonary rehab, or chest physical therapy. Patients of all ages who are being treated in the hospital with diagnoses of the heart or lungs may benefit from physical therapy intervention.

Our service provides interventions for patients after heart attack or heart surgery, heart failure, and other problems such as dysrhythmias or infections of the heart such as myocarditis or endocarditis. "Phase I Cardiac Rehab" includes functional training, progressive walking, strengthening, patient and caregiver education and, conditioning exercises with continuous monitoring of symptoms, heart rate, blood pressure and heart rhythm.



Pulmonary rehabilitation is functional training and progressive exercise accompanied by safety monitoring, compensatory strategies, and supplemental oxygen when needed. It is offered to patients with lung infections, exacerbations of chronic lung diseases, lung cancer, or for patients following lung surgeries. The cardiopulmonary physical therapists are also a part of the Ventilator Management Team, which helps patients who are critically ill to be weaned from ventilator dependency. Chest physical therapy, or Chest PT for short, is a common manual technique which uses percussion and vibration for clearing the airways to allow easier breathing and better oxygenation. It may also include alternate airway clearance techniques such as breathing exercises, the Active Cycle of Breathing Technique, and the use of mechanical devices.

Our staff boasts a high level of experience including APTA board certified cardiovascular and pulmonary specialists. Most treatments are provided at the patient's bedside or local treatment space equipped with various exercise and monitoring equipment. Our physical therapists are also integral members of the interdisciplinary teams for the Heart and Lung Transplant Programs, the Cystic Fibrosis Program, and the Mechanical Assist Device program.