Rehab programme helps over 100 seniors with advanced heart failure

TTSH trial patients gain muscle mass, lower body fat, see fewer re-admissions

- Zhaki Abdullah

After surviving a heart attack three years ago, Mr Tan Kim Kiang found himself feeling weak and experiencing difficulty in walking.

The heart attack had weakened his heart muscles, leading to heart failure. Walking short distances left him breathless, and even simple tasks such as getting up to go to the toilet posed a challenge.

It was then that Mr Tan—now 65 and working in a renovation company—joined the cardiac rehabilitation programme at Tan Tock Seng Hospital (TTSH).

Starting with slow walks, he progressed to brisk walking on a treadmill and cycling on a stationary bike.

He is one of more than 100 seniors who have benefited from HF Care, TTSH's rehabilitation programme for elderly patients with advanced heart failure.

Trialled for a year between 2022 and 2023, the initiative was created to fulfil an "unmet need", said Dr Violet Hoon, head of the hospital's cardiac rehabilitation services.

Heart failure occurs when the heart is unable to pump enough blood for the body's needs. Its symptoms include shortness of breath, excessive fatigue and swelling of the legs.

Advanced heart failure is its most severe stage, where the heart's ability to pump blood is seriously compromised, impacting a patient's day-to-day activities.