If you’ve passed up the opportunity to participate in a cardiac rehabilitation program, here’s why you should reconsider. Rehab boosts longevity, especially in patients who don’t adhere to any kind of exercise regimen. Even minor improvements in physical fitness are linked to a lower risk of death. And people who are not in good shape have the most to gain. Cardiac rehabilitation is a program of exercise, education and counseling designed to help patients recover from a heart attack, heart condition or heart surgery. If you are a heart patient, talk to your cardiologist about your options.