AACVPR CCRP key terms

A medically supervised, multidisciplinary secondary-prevention program combining exercise training, education, and counseling to improve functional capacity, quality of life, and survival in people with cardiovascular disease.

The required program elements: patient assessment, nutritional counseling, weight and lipid management, blood pressure control, tobacco cessation, psychosocial support, physical activity counseling, and exercise training, delivered by a coordinated team.

A written, patient-specific plan created at program entry that records diagnoses, risk factors, goals, exercise prescription, education and counseling needs, and planned interventions, then is updated as the patient's condition changes.

The early outpatient phase, usually starting within one to three weeks of hospital discharge, featuring ECG-monitored exercise, intensive education, and risk-factor modification under physician oversight.

The physician accountable for a program's clinical policies, emergency procedures, staffing qualifications, and quality oversight, including supervision of exercise testing and of high-risk patients.

The process of classifying patients by their likelihood of a cardiac event during exercise so that supervision, monitoring, and exercise intensity are matched to their level of risk.

A supervised test in which workload increases in stages until symptoms or other end points occur, used to measure functional capacity, detect ischemia, and guide exercise prescription.

A four-level scale describing how much heart failure limits ordinary activity, from class I (no limitation) through class II and III (increasing limitation) to class IV (symptoms at rest).

A four-class scale describing the activity level that provokes angina, from class I (angina only with strenuous exertion) to class IV (angina with any activity or at rest).

Horizontal or downsloping ST depression of at least 1 mm during exercise or recovery, a sign of myocardial ischemia that influences risk classification and exercise recommendations.

A fall in systolic blood pressure of at least 20 mmHg, or diastolic of at least 10 mmHg, within three minutes of standing; it raises fall risk and requires care during exercise sessions.

A multiple of resting oxygen use, where 1 MET equals about 3.5 mL of oxygen per kilogram per minute; it expresses exercise intensity, functional capacity, and the energy cost of activities.

The difference between maximal and resting heart rate; a percentage of this reserve, added to resting heart rate, is used to set a target training heart rate.

A formula that sets target heart rate as resting heart rate plus a chosen percentage of the heart rate reserve, prescribing intensity relative to the individual's own capacity.

A validated self-report scale, commonly the 6-to-20 Borg scale, on which patients rate how hard exercise feels; it is used to prescribe and monitor intensity, especially when heart rate is unreliable.

A framework for exercise prescription covering Frequency, Intensity, Time, and Type; it is applied separately to aerobic, resistance, and flexibility training.

The highest oxygen uptake achieved during a symptom-limited exercise test; it is the standard measure of aerobic capacity and a strong predictor of cardiovascular outcomes.

The exercise intensity at which ventilation rises out of proportion to oxygen uptake, marking increased anaerobic metabolism; it is often used to set training intensity in cardiac rehabilitation.

Heart rate multiplied by systolic blood pressure; it estimates myocardial oxygen demand and helps identify the workload at which ischemia develops.

Progressive exercise with weights, bands, or body weight to build muscular strength and endurance; in cardiac rehabilitation it usually begins at low loads with moderate repetitions and careful breathing.

A gradual reduction in exercise intensity at the end of a session that sustains venous return and helps prevent hypotension, dizziness, and arrhythmias after stopping abruptly.

Substernal chest pressure, tightness, or discomfort caused by myocardial ischemia, typically provoked by exertion or emotional stress and relieved by rest or nitroglycerin.

Inadequate blood flow to heart muscle relative to its oxygen demand, producing chest pain, ECG changes, or temporary impairment of contraction.

The percentage of left ventricular end-diastolic volume ejected with each beat; normal is roughly 55 to 70 percent, and lower values indicate systolic dysfunction.

Heart failure with a left ventricular ejection fraction of 40 percent or less, reflecting weak systolic contraction; treated with guideline-directed medications, self-care, and exercise-based rehabilitation.

An irregular supraventricular rhythm with no distinct P waves and a variable ventricular rate; it raises stroke risk and makes heart rate a less reliable guide to exercise intensity.

A drug that blocks sympathetic stimulation of the heart, lowering heart rate, blood pressure, and myocardial oxygen demand; because it blunts exercise heart rate, perceived exertion or reserve-based targets are often preferred.

A medication that blocks conversion of angiotensin I to angiotensin II, lowering blood pressure and afterload; it improves survival in heart failure and after myocardial infarction.

A drug that inhibits HMG-CoA reductase, lowering LDL cholesterol and reducing cardiovascular events; muscle aches are a recognized side effect that can affect exercise participation.

A short-acting vasodilator taken sublingually for angina; patients should sit, expect possible headache and hypotension, and avoid combining it with erectile-dysfunction drugs.

A medication that reduces clot formation, used in atrial fibrillation and after mechanical valve replacement; it increases bleeding risk but regular moderate exercise remains appropriate with precautions.

Strategies that reduce recurrent events in people with established cardiovascular disease, including exercise, lipid and blood pressure control, tobacco cessation, and medication adherence.

The main lipid target for lowering atherosclerotic risk; goals vary by risk category, and most patients with established cardiovascular disease receive high-intensity statin therapy.

A blood test reflecting average glucose over roughly the previous two to three months; it is used to diagnose and monitor diabetes, with a common target below 7 percent.

Chronically elevated arterial blood pressure, defined in current US guidelines as 130/80 mmHg or higher; it is a major modifiable risk factor managed with lifestyle change and medication.

Quitting all tobacco use, the most powerful single secondary-prevention action available; programs support it with brief counseling, cessation medication, and scheduled follow-up to prevent relapse.