IJN Pioneers Asia’s First Cardiac Rehab Centre with Cutting-Edge Tech

KUALA LUMPUR, 31 July 2024- Institut Jantung Negara (IJN) breaks new ground in cardiac care with the launch of Asia’s first rehabilitation centre featuring advanced pneumatic exercise technology. This state-of-the-art facility combines innovations from Germany, Finland, and the Netherlands, offering patients unparalleled support in their recovery journey.

 

Cardiac rehabilitation is a customised programme aimed at helping patients recover from various heart-related conditions such as heart attacks and surgery, and reduce the risk of future cardiac events. The programme promotes a holistic approach to recovery by incorporating exercise training, nutritional advice, and education on heart-healthy lifestyle habits.

 

Partnering with Finnish rehabilitation and exercise equipment manufacturer HUR, the refurbished Cardiac Rehabilitation Centre features advanced pneumatic exercise equipment.

 

Unlike traditional weight-based systems, these pneumatic systems use air pressure to create resistance, offering a smoother and more controlled workout experience. The air resistance makes it easier to start lifting a weight and helps slow it down smoothly at the end of the exercise, thus easing the strain on joints and reducing the risk of injury, making workouts safer and more effective.

 

“While we greatly encourage exercise for those recovering from heart conditions, we also have to take into account their specific needs and abilities,” said the Head of Physiotherapy Department, Khairullizam Bin Ahmad Termizi. “The new equipment is highly customisable, so we’re able to better tailor our exercises to each patient. By incorporating new technologies such as this, we hope to further expand the exercise training available for more people.”   The customisation offered by the HUR machines is powered by HUR SmartTouch technology, which allows for the input of personalised training programmes and targets. The system guides users through workouts by automatically adjusting settings like seat height, resistance, and repetitions, while tracking progress at the same time. Additionally, the system’s automated data capture provides valuable insights into exercise quality, enabling effective guidance and support for patients and real-time monitoring for staff.

 

The centre’s new setup also includes the Lode Cardiac Rehab Manager, a monitoring software which documents relevant data such as electrocardiogram (ECG), heart rate and speed, which allows for up to 16 patients to be tracked at once.

 

“Our goal is to support our patients through every step of their rehabilitation journey, empowering them to achieve their fullest potential in terms of heart health and overall well-being. This upgrade marks our ongoing commitment to provide compassionate, comprehensive care that makes a meaningful difference in the lives of our patients,” said Datuk Dr Aizai Azan, Chief Executive Officer, IJN.

 

In addition to the advanced exercise equipment, IJN’s Cardiac Rehabilitation Centre boasts a multidisciplinary team of healthcare professionals, including cardiologists, physiotherapists, dietitians, and mental health experts. This team provides holistic care addressing the physical, emotional, and nutritional aspects of recovery.

 

The centre further places a strong emphasis on patient education, offering resources and support to help individuals adopt heart-healthy lifestyle habits. From understanding medication management and learning stress-reduction techniques to incorporating nutritious meal planning, IJN equips patients with the knowledge and skills necessary to lead heart-healthy lives beyond their rehabilitation journey.

 

ABOUT IJN

Institut Jantung Negara (IJN) is Malaysia’s only discipline-specific heart specialist facility and one of the largest medical institutions in Malaysia. Set up in 1992, IJN is dedicated to the management and treatment of heart diseases by providing cardiology, paediatric cardiology and cardiothoracic surgery services for adults and children and to date, it has treated over 5 million heart patients.

 

After 3 decades of its establishment, IJN is reckoned to be among the best medical centres for cardiovascular and thoracic care in Malaysia and the region. IJN has kept abreast with the latest medical advances, from handling a simple hole in the heart surgery to heart and lung transplantations. As Malaysia’s premier and South East Asia’s largest Cardiac Centre, IJN is aggressively growing its presence, locally and regionally, on the back of a proven and respected brand name synonymous with quality heart healthcare.

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