Local Cardiac Rehab is convenient for those patients who have suffered from a heart attack, stent placement, cardiac bypass surgery or other heart conditions, so they can receive rehabilitation services close to home. Cardiac Rehab Phase II generally begins following discharge from the hospital and continues for about 12 weeks or 36 sessions. Included is patient and family education, which concentrates on cardiovascular disease, risk factors, nutrition, stress management and emotional support. An individualized, progressive exercise regime geared toward gradually increasing the patient’s intensity and duration of exercise. The patient is monitored by telemetry under the supervision of a registered nurse. Two types of stress testing studies are also performed in this department. They include a treadmill exercise stress test or a stress test where a medication is administered that simulates exercise to the heart. Both tests are diagnostic cardiac procedures performed by a physician and a cardiac registered nurse.