Is bed rest the only option after stent surgery? Refusing exercise due to chest tightness and shortness of breath? Are long-term high stress, prolonged sitting, and staying up late posing hidden risks?
Recently, the reporter, armed with these issues that are of great concern in daily life, visited Hainan Chengmei Hospital to uncover how cardiovascular patients rely on specialized techniques such as cardiopulmonary exercise testing and external counterpulsation, and use the "five prescriptions" of medication, exercise, nutrition, psychology, and risk factor management to overcome treatment misconceptions. The hospital has established a comprehensive heart care system for patients with coronary heart disease, heart failure, and post-operative patients.
The picture shows Professor Zheng Yin making a house call
Surgery is only the "first half", and blindly resting can actually aggravate heart damage
Professor Zheng Yin, a renowned cardiac rehabilitation expert in Hainan and Vice President of Hainan Chengmei Hospital, pointed out that in the past, the general public and even some patients had an inherent belief that after being diagnosed with heart disease, they should rest for a long time and reduce all activities, fearing that activity would increase the burden on the heart. However, modern cardiovascular rehabilitation medicine has long confirmed that standardized and individualized professional cardiac rehabilitation therapy centered around five prescriptions: medication, exercise, nutrition, psychology, and smoking cessation, has numerous benefits: it can effectively improve myocardial function, stabilize vascular plaques, enhance cardiopulmonary exercise tolerance, reduce the risk of myocardial infarction and heart failure recurrence from a physiological level, as well as the risk of restenosis and stent thrombosis after coronary artery implantation. At the same time, patients are provided with health guidance such as psychological counseling and sleep management, nutrition, and exercise prescriptions, helping cardiovascular disease patients gradually return to normal daily living, social interaction, and even work status, thereby comprehensively improving their quality of life.
Regarding Professor Zheng Yin's argument, Shu Yue, Director of the Cardiac Rehabilitation Department at Hainan Chengmei Hospital, confirmed to reporters: "Many heart disease patients, after undergoing stent or bypass surgery, believe that as long as they take medication on time and rest in bed for a long time, they can recover. In fact, this is the most common and also the most dangerous misconception in clinical rehabilitation. Emergency surgery to open blocked blood vessels only completes the 'first half' of cardiovascular treatment. Scientific rehabilitation is the core defense line to reduce secondary myocardial infarction and stent restenosis."
The picture shows Director Shu Yue being interviewed by a reporter
Upon first meeting Shu Yue, her serene and composed demeanor, coupled with a smile on her face, makes it hard to associate her with a stern doctor. When her gentle smile ripples across her dimples, it inexplicably brings a sense of reassurance, comfort, and warmth, instantly easing the tension and anxiety that often arise during doctor-patient interactions and fostering trust. As a Class E talent introduced by the hospital from Hainan Free Trade Port, Shu Yue specializes in the treatment of cardiovascular critical illnesses, cardiac rehabilitation after stent and bypass surgery, and exercise intervention for individuals with hypertension and the "three highs" (high blood pressure, high blood sugar, and high blood lipids). She is a core member of Professor Zheng Yin's team.
Shu Yue explained that long-term complete rest can lead to a decrease of over 50% in blood circulation speed, continuous loss of limb muscles, and a persistent weakening of myocardial tolerance, which in turn exacerbates the heart's blood pumping load, significantly increasing the risk of thrombosis and heart failure recurrence. Among the middle-aged patients admitted to Chengmei Hospital, there have been occasional cases where patients, due to prolonged confinement after surgery, developed severe asthma and lower limb edema after physical activity within just half a year, accompanied by a significant decline in cardiopulmonary function.
Cardiac rehabilitation is not about strenuous exercise, but rather about precisely assessing cardiopulmonary function, defining safe activity zones, and incorporating aerobic, resistance, and respiratory training to gradually restore myocardial blood supply capacity. Clinical data has confirmed that standardized rehabilitation can significantly reduce the risk of secondary cardiovascular events.
If we consider that non-invasive, real-time monitoring of dozens of indicators such as heart rate, blood oxygen, respiratory metabolism, and more, during exercise, accurately captures latent myocardial ischemia, and calculates the patient's cardiac tolerance limit, it is akin to creating a "safe activity navigation map" for the heart, then Chengmei Hospital, based on this foundation, collaborates with nutrition, psychology, and general practitioners to issue a comprehensive "five prescriptions" to build a "heart" defense line for patients. The five prescriptions encompass standardized drug regulation of vascular risks, graded exercise rehabilitation programs, personalized low-fat and low-salt diets, anxiety management, smoking cessation and weight loss, and other risk factor control measures, achieving personalized and full-cycle management for each individual.
Professor Zheng Yin (second from right) and Director Shu Yue (fourth from right) are conducting a ward round
Characteristic non-invasive therapy: External Counterpulsation, which completes cardiac "blood supply repair" while lying down
Addressing the issues faced by many middle-aged and elderly patients with heart failure and coronary heart disease, who have extremely poor physical strength and are unable to complete conventional rehabilitation training, Hainan Chengmei Hospital has introduced the Enhanced External Counterpulsation (EECP) trump card non-invasive rehabilitation technology, which is vividly referred to by patients as "heart maintenance that can be done while lying down". The entire treatment process requires no injections and is non-invasive. Patients wear specialized airbag pants, and the device synchronizes with the heartbeat rhythm, squeezing blood from the lower limbs back into the coronary artery during the diastolic phase to increase myocardial blood supply; during the systolic phase, it quickly releases pressure, reducing the heart's pumping burden and continuously improving systemic ischemia.
This technology is suitable for people with residual chest tightness after stent surgery, stable angina pectoris, chronic heart failure, sub-health conditions associated with the "three highs" (high blood pressure, high blood sugar, and high blood lipids), and sedentary office entrepreneurs. Many elderly patients who have recurrent chest tightness and dare not go out for walks have significantly improved their activity tolerance after adhering to the treatment course, so that they no longer get out of breath when climbing stairs or shopping.
For critically ill patients who are bedridden, bedside respiratory training, passive limb resistance training, and abdominal breathing exercises are conducted to gradually awaken cardiopulmonary function from basic physical fitness. Multidisciplinary collaboration helps elderly patients with multiple organ diseases to smoothly pass through the recovery period.
The picture shows the outpatient area of the cardiac rehabilitation clinic
"Heart protection" measures are being moved forward: focusing on young and middle-aged people, as well as entrepreneurs, who are at high risk of myocardial infarction
"Doctors just like to make a fuss over small things. I'll never come to your hospital again!" Mr. Li, a businessman from Haikou, Zhejiang, scheduled his regular physical examination just before a business trip. He had always been in good health and thought he could head straight to the airport after the examination. However, after completing the echocardiogram at Hainan Chengmei Hospital, he was unexpectedly "detained" and hospitalized by the doctor, which left him grumbling.
Mr. Li's color Doppler ultrasound report revealed a 58mm ascending aortic aneurysm, which was significantly abnormal compared to the normal 35mm size and posed a high risk. Based on their extensive clinical experience and after consultation, Professor Zheng Yin's team recommended that Mr. Li cancel his business trip and immediately be hospitalized for further examination. After calming down, Mr. Li sent the report to experts in Beijing and Shanghai for advice, and the responses were completely consistent with the opinion of Chengmei Hospital! Recalling this experience, Mr. Li still feels a sense of fear and regret, and he frankly admitted, "Listening to the doctor can save your life.".
Currently, the incidence of cardiovascular diseases is showing a trend of younger age groups, with entrepreneurs and white-collar workers becoming high-risk groups for myocardial infarction. Long-term high-intensity overtime work, continuous high mental stress, staying up late for social engagements, sedentary lifestyle, and a diet high in oil and salt, when combined, pose multiple risks. Some individuals may exhibit no obvious symptoms in the early stages, but once they experience an attack, it can be an acute myocardial infarction or malignant arrhythmia. Big data shows that many entrepreneurs aged 30 to 45 may only have mildly elevated blood lipids during physical examinations, yet they can suddenly suffer from a massive myocardial infarction. For residents in Hainan and elderly migrant birds who also suffer from hypertension and diabetes, the frequency of heart failure and angina attacks increases significantly during seasonal transitions. The differences in lifestyle and diet between the two regions further exacerbate the burden on blood vessels.
Regarding this, experts from Hainan Chengmei Hospital suggest moving the "heart protection" checkpoint forward. Firstly, conduct stratified physical examination screening. Healthy young people should undergo a specialized cardiac examination once a year; individuals with a family history of "three highs" (high blood pressure, high blood sugar, and high cholesterol) and heart disease should have their electrocardiogram, blood lipids, and cardiac ultrasound rechecked every six months. If conditions permit, cardiopulmonary function assessment can be conducted to detect latent ischemic issues in advance.
Secondly, break the sedentary state. Sitting for an hour significantly increases cardiovascular burden. Get up and move around for 5 to 10 minutes every hour, answer phone calls, print documents, and squat against the wall after lunch. Simple actions can promote blood circulation. Exercise after work cannot offset the damage caused by sitting all day.
Lastly, it is important to distinguish between misconceptions about chest pain. Not all myocardial infarction (MI) cases are accompanied by severe chest pain. Unexplained toothache, back pain, and upper abdominal discomfort, especially those that worsen after meals or physical activity, must be promptly investigated for heart-related issues to avoid missed diagnoses and delaying critical treatment time.
Deeply cultivating public welfare science popularization: bringing heart health knowledge to the community and the public
"I just want to have a gastroscopy and ultrasound, why do I have to get a heart examination?" Mr. Zheng, who is 64 years old this year, felt slightly unwell while shopping for groceries. He believed that the heart pain was a result of complications from his recent colon surgery and was very resentful towards the doctor's request for a hospitalization examination. Especially after the first two blood test results were normal, he thought the doctor was "trying to scam him out of money".
As expected, Mr. Zheng's condition matched the doctor's diagnosis. Five hours later, he experienced severe discomfort and suffered a sudden myocardial infarction. The third test report showed abnormal indicators! Mr. Zheng, who narrowly escaped death, admitted that his lack of relevant knowledge almost cost him his life.
Addressing symptoms while addressing the root causes. Many residents lack sufficient knowledge about hypertension and heart disease, and it is common for them to stop taking medication on their own, indiscriminately consume health products, and refuse standardized rehabilitation. To this end, the disease prevention and control lecture team of Hainan Chengmei Hospital has entered the community to conduct blood pressure control, free cardiopulmonary function screening, and heart care seminars for middle-aged and elderly residents, as well as on-site free clinics and question-and-answer sessions. For corporate executives, they have organized special sessions on cardiovascular risk screening and short video lectures on home-based cardiac rehabilitation exercises, transforming professional knowledge into easy-to-understand life advice, and promoting the concept of "rehabilitation first, prevention of recurrence" to reach every household.
The Cardiac Rehabilitation Department of Hainan Chengmei Hospital will continue to improve the construction of three major sectors in the next step, aiming to build a standardized cardiac rehabilitation center that integrates treatment, rehabilitation, prevention, and long-term management of chronic diseases.
Strengthen multidisciplinary collaboration, integrate departments such as ICU, endocrinology, nutrition, and psychology, and cover the entire process from early bedside rehabilitation after critical and emergency surgery to long-term home follow-up;
Upgrade the intelligent rehabilitation system, leverage the AI cardiopulmonary assessment system, and introduce online home rehabilitation tracking services to facilitate remote management of cardiac indicators for migratory patients;
Deeply explore the characteristics of tropical chronic disease rehabilitation, and combine the dietary and climatic characteristics of Hainan to develop cardiac rehabilitation diets and exercise programs that are suitable for the local population.
From emergency surgery to save lives to rehabilitation training to restart life, Professor Zheng Yin's team at Hainan Chengmei Hospital has shattered the public's inherent perception that heart disease can only be treated with rest and recuperation. With non-invasive technology, personalized plans, and full-cycle management, they have helped countless cardiovascular patients regain mobility and quality of life, injecting medical momentum into the construction of Hainan International Tourism Health and Wellness Consumption Center.
Expert Introduction
Zheng Yin, Chief Physician
Vice President, Professor
Master's supervisor, scholar studying in the United States
Outstanding Experts with Outstanding Contributions in Hainan Province
Medical expertise
Skilled in the prevention, diagnosis, treatment, rehabilitation, and health management of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases and geriatric conditions. Provides cardiac rehabilitation for patients with hypertension, coronary artery disease, arrhythmias, heart failure, metabolic syndrome, as well as those post-stent or post-coronary bypass surgery, including guidance on medication, exercise, nutrition, and sleep disorders.
Shu Yue, Deputy Chief Physician
Director of Cardiac Rehabilitation Department
Hainan Free Trade Port E-type Talent
Medical expertise
Skilled in conventional treatment and cardiac rehabilitation therapy for cardiovascular diseases and critically ill patients; exercise therapy and exercise healthcare for hypertension, hyperglycemia, hyperlipidemia, and heart disease; chronic disease management, cardiorespiratory endurance assessment, and physical training.
Source | Consumer Daily