Program Plan Framework

For a Cardiac Rehabilitation Stress Management Integrative Health Program

Heart disease is the number one cause of death in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC] (2021). One in every four deaths, or about 659,000 people per year, is attributed to heart disease (CDC, 2021). Every year, about 805,000 people in the US have heart attacks with over 200,000 being from secondary episodes (CDC, 2021). Research suggests that stress is one of the main contributors to the onset of heart disease and interferes with recovery from a first cardiac episode and can decrease overall prognosis (Parswani et al., 2013). Kreitzer & Synder (2007) suggests that certain complementary and alternative methods reduce stress and help to manage everyday stressors. Those methods include meditation, yoga, music, and imagery among others (Kreitzer & Synder, 2007).