Torrevieja Council and Torrevieja University Hospital will launch a new community-based cardiac rehabilitation programme in October, helping patients continue their recovery after completing hospital treatment.
The Phase III Cardiac Rehabilitation Programme will provide eligible patients with free access to adapted physical activity at municipal sports facilities for one year.
Activities will include the municipal gym, Pilates, outdoor cycling and swimming. Each patient’s programme will be tailored to their medical condition and based on recommendations from the healthcare professionals overseeing their recovery.
The initiative has been jointly developed by the hospital’s Cardiology and Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation departments, together with the council departments responsible for sport, health prevention and health promotion.
Its objective is to bridge the gap between clinical care and everyday life, ensuring that exercise and heart-healthy habits continue after patients leave supervised hospital rehabilitation. The programme is also intended to reduce cardiovascular risk factors and help prevent further heart-related problems.
Cardiac rehabilitation generally consists of three stages. Phase I begins during a hospital stay and focuses on safe initial movement and recovery. Phase II is delivered on an outpatient basis through supervised exercise, health education and management of cardiovascular risk factors.
The new Torrevieja scheme focuses on Phase III, during which patients maintain their progress with less direct medical supervision and incorporate regular exercise into their daily routines.
Rather than offering a standard fitness plan, participation will be individually assessed. Patients will use municipal facilities and activities suited to their clinical needs and the recommendations contained in their hospital reports.
Those wishing to join must first complete Phases I and II and obtain the relevant reports from the hospital’s Cardiology and Rehabilitation departments.
Applications can be submitted in person at the Department of Health Prevention and Promotion, at Calle Clemente Gosálvez 37, ground floor.
They may also be submitted through Torrevieja Council’s electronic office by selecting: Catalogue of Procedures → Health → Available Procedures → SAL02: Phase III Cardiac Rehabilitation Application.
Applicants must provide the relevant medical reports from Torrevieja University Hospital through either application route.
The council said maintaining rehabilitation after a heart attack, coronary procedure or other cardiovascular event can help patients preserve the progress achieved during treatment, improve their quality of life and reduce the likelihood of further complications.
According to official figures cited by the council, circulatory diseases accounted for 26.1 per cent of deaths in Spain in 2024, with ischaemic heart disease alone responsible for 26,851 fatalities.
In the Valencian Community, cardiovascular conditions were associated with approximately 27 per cent of deaths during the same year. Regional monitoring data also recorded more than 42,000 new cases of cardiovascular disease and 13,140 related deaths in 2023.
