HealthWise KnowledgeBase
Heart Transplant
What To Expect After Surgery
After a heart transplant, the recovery process is similar to the process after other heart surgeries.
You will spend about 1 to 2 weeks in the hospital after surgery. You may have to stay longer depending on your health and if you have complications from surgery. While in the hospital, you will start a Reference cardiac rehabilitation program. And your doctors will check on your heart to make sure your body isn't rejecting it.
Cardiac rehabilitation
A cardiac rehab program can help you recover from your surgery and be active again.
Your transplanted heart will respond to activity a little differently. Your heart rate will not increase like it used to. And you will have a higher resting heart rate. This is because some of the nerves that control your heart were cut during your surgery.
| By: | Reference Healthwise Staff | Last Revised: September 12, 2012 |
| Medical Review: | Reference Rakesh K. Pai, MD, FACC - Cardiology, Electrophysiology
Reference Stephen Fort, MD, MRCP, FRCPC - Interventional Cardiology |
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