Forward
“We never used the textbook in class”. Or maybe it was, I didn’t bother to buy the book, because we don’t use it and its too expensive”. I’m sure students can relate, and teachers can be frustrated. On the other hand, finding a text that matches the content of ones class is often difficult, leading the instructor to require more than one texts and adding to the cost of the course.
Cardiopulmonary rehabilitation is an applied class. It takes the students’ knowledge of anatomy, physiology, pathophysiology, primary prevention knowledge and basic fitness testing background and jumps into the clinical exercise physiology related to assessing and training patients that have heart disease. It is a jump! The medical terminology language, clinical tests, ECG interpretation, cardiac medications, diagnostic stress testing and unique nature of training different forms of heart and vascular disease. Having taught a class in cardiac rehab since 1995, it has been a struggle to find a text that combines so much disparate information. As a result, I have tried many textbooks, but none have sufficed. It seems many texts are developed around a topic, but a single class may touch on a number of topic areas. My goal with this book is to reverse the planning, and develop a text that is specifically designed for a class.
Therefore, this text is designed to be an all inclusive, entry-level text for students beginning their training in cardiopulmonary rehabilitation. For students to be successful on their internship and subsequent career, the content of this text can be matched with a single, one semester course (with lab) that covers the essentials to get them started. I have gathered open source materials from across the Creative Commons, and also added materials I have developed for my own classes.
I hope students and teachers will find this FREE text an excellent source, one they will use in class and perhaps even beyond as a reference resource. For teachers less familiar with the topic area, this text can serve as an organized syllabus of sorts, to help guide you in the topics and depth of learning needed for student success. Enjoy!
Steve Glass PhD FACSM
