Bradley Gilbert, MD, was enjoying his active lifestyle in Orange County. The 67-year-old retired physician lifted weights in his garage to stay in shape, and he loved going on regular hikes with his wife – sometimes even 8 miles with elevation. However, when he was faced with the news that he needed open heart surgery, suddenly he was wondering if he would ever be able to do those things again. Thankfully, he says, the Cardiac Rehabilitation program at the Samueli Institute helped him not only regain his strength after heart surgery but also achieve even better health than before.
In September of 2023, at UCI Health, Gilbert underwent a sternotomy so doctors could perform a mitral valve repair as well as a Cox-Maze procedure, which helps prevent atrial fibrillation.
“Major surgery,” Gilbert called it, adding that the procedure and its aftermath really took a toll on his physical health. It all left Gilbert “really worried” that he would lose his ability to continue the active lifestyle he loved.
Five weeks after the surgery, Gilbert’s doctor referred him for 36 sessions in the Cardiac Rehabilitation program at the Samueli Institute in Irvine. Cardiac Rehab is a personalized and comprehensive program designed to help patients recover from cardiovascular events. It involves supervised exercise and education to help patients continue their recovery and improve their physical fitness. Patients also have opportunities to receive nutrition counseling or acupuncture and participate in Tai Chi, mindfulness meditation, and nutritional education cooking classes.
Gilbert appreciated this multidisciplinary approach to cardiac health. “Making it a comprehensive program – where you get the focused, physical exercise, but you also get all of those other pieces to keep you healthy – was really cool,” he said.
Efrain Cerrato, MBA, ACSM-EP, integrative cardiac rehabilitation program manager at the Samueli Institute, says this integrative approach is what truly sets the program apart.
“Our multidisciplinary approach to cardiac rehab is designed to empower the whole person. This holistic strategy empowers patients to take control of their recovery, promoting long-term heart health and overall wellness,” Cerrato said.
Gilbert enjoyed his group exercise classes with Cerrato and other patients. He liked rebuilding his endurance on the treadmill while also learning how to properly and effectively do other exercises like push-ups, squats, weightlifting, and more. Meanwhile, Gilbert said, Cerrato would always provide extra reading and educational materials for the group – to really reinforce what they learned during the sessions.
In addition to the supervised exercise, Gilbert took advantage of the other services offered to Cardiac Rehab patients. He participated in Tai Chi sessions and cooking classes in the Mussallem Nutritional Education Center. He also met with registered dietitian Michelle Luhan, MS, RDN, CDN, for nutrition counseling and health and wellness coach Theresa Nutt, MA, BSN, HNB-BC, NBC-HWC.
“As I like to share with my patients, energy starts at the cellular level – impacting not just heart cells, but all the cells in your body. This ‘good’ energy isn’t solely derived from the nutrients you consume; it’s also influenced by the quality of your sleep, how you talk to yourself, and the strength of your mind and body,” Luhan said.
Tracking the patient’s progress is a key feature of the Cardiac Rehab program. This proved to be essential for Gilbert. Slowly but surely Gilbert saw his various numbers improve. His weight and body fat percentage decreased, and he was particularly proud of his push-up numbers.
“I couldn’t do push-ups, and my push-ups doubled – how many I can do without falling over,” Gilbert said.
In addition to his physical improvement, Gilbert saw his mood improve too. He noticed that he was feeling better about himself and reporting better self-efficacy.
“Objective results which demonstrate the efficacy of the program overall,” Gilbert said. “I can actually see what difference is made, provides motivation to keep going.”
Gilbert ended up loving the program so much that his doctor referred him for another 36 sessions, completing a total of 72 sessions.
Today, Gilbert feels he has the knowledge and tools to continue this journey on his own. He continues a fitness regimen in his garage and even writes down his exercise plan on a whiteboard on the wall – just as Cerrato does in the program. Gilbert also stays active and continues building his stamina with his wife.
“[Surgery] just kind of wipes you out, and then this really brought me back to at or above where I was,” Gilbert said.
“When a patient like Mr. Gilbert, who had an active lifestyle before heart surgery, walks into cardiac rehab, there are many unknowns,” Cerrato said. “We provide a structured program to not only restore their physical capabilities but also strengthen their mental resilience and emotional well-being. Our goal is to ensure patients regain confidence in their abilities and maintain an active, empowered lifestyle.”
Even more, Gilbert recalled uncovering the true reason why he wanted to restore his health after heart surgery.
When asked by Theresa Nutt to say why we wanted to be healthy, my three reasons were to be there with my wife, travel and see my grandkids grow up,” Gilbert said.
And now, he feels confident that all remains in his future.
“I was very worried and it was such a supportive environment and gives you that reassurance that you’re going to get better,” he said. “I really think the program that [the institute] put together is very impressive.”
