Can exercise improve ejection fraction?
Cardiac rehabilitation may not play a major role in raising your mother-in-law's EF, but it should improve her quality of life and her ability to be active. EF is a helpful marker for physicians, but it isn't the be-all and end-all of rehabilitation. Some patients feel good and remain active in spite of having a low EF. The real goal is to improve your mother-in-law's health and quality of life.
That said, your mother-in-law's EF may rise over the next few months as a result of the surgery, which should improve blood flow to her heart. Her return to activity should be gradual, so it's helpful to have the close follow-up that's available in a cardiac rehabilitation program. The program will also provide emotional support and patient education. Three days a week is a good start, and her doctor will provide recommendations for appropriate levels of activity at other times.
Recently, there was an article in vitasearch where 53 patients with heart problems took pycnogenol along with CoQ10 for 12 weeks and it resulted in a 22.4% increase in their ejection fractions, along with other benefits.
