Cardiovascular Wellness Program

Our Mission

The Cardiovascular Wellness Program (CWP) at Sacramento State provides an affordable and comprehensive applied exercise and education program for individuals interested in improving their cardiovascular health. The accepts referrals and is designed to support and expand cardiovascular health care in the Sacramento region by providing a program for individuals with limited options or access to other programs.

We are committed to fostering an educational partnership between program participants and students, community volunteers, and faculty from multiple disciplines and specialties across the campus. The education integrates supervised exercise training, nutrition, stress management, and lifestyle improvement activities within the framework of shared goals and community spirit. The result is a unique educational and potentially life-changing opportunity for all involved.

With a strong commitment to access, diversity, and inclusion, the program welcomes opportunities to work with community agencies that share these values.

About Us

Who Can Participate

The Cardiovascular Wellness Program is for those with cardiovascular disease or those at risk. The focus is on developing and maintaining a heart-healthy lifestyle through exercise, stress management, and nutrition. For those who have had cardiac events, they must have completed monitored phases of a hospital-based cardiac rehabilitation program or be at least 12 months post-event.

A Community of Support

We are a program staffed by specialty volunteers and student interns. All exercise is supervised by emergency medical personnel, ACLS-certified nurses, and an exercise physiologist. On our specialty volunteer staff, physicians, registered nurses, a physical therapist, and a registered dietitian visit regularly for supervision and education. Our student interns come from multiple disciplines including, physical therapy, gerontology, nutrition, and psychology.

UC Davis Collaborations

The program is housed on the CSU Sacramento campus and student involvement is primarily with Sac students. The volunteer staff and older adults clients come from the community at large, with a good percentage of them coming from UC Davis. The program has a medical director who is a UC Davis Cardiologist, Radhika Bukkapatnam, MD and additional support from Javier Lopez, MD, who has provided referrals from his CDPH PreventionForward program since 2019.

Education and Lectures

A series of core lectures are given weekly by CWP staff or featured guests. There is no charge for attending these sessions and no registration is needed. Participants who are awaiting medical clearance to attend exercise sessions are encouraged to attend these lectures whenever possible. Family and support members are also welcome to attend.

These sessions are held at 11:45 a.m., Tuesday/Thursday,and Friday mornings. They usually last 45- 60 minutes. Schedule of talks is created and distributed at the beginning of every month.

LECTURE RECORDINGS ON CARDIAC HEALTH TOPICS CAN BE FOUND UNDER INDIVIDUAL STAFF PAGES IN THE "EDUCATION," "NUTRITION," AND "WELLNESS" TABS OF THIS WEBSITE.

GUEST LECTURES CAN BE FOUND UNDER "GUEST LECTURES" IN THE EDUCATION TAB.

Common Core Lecture Topics

Program Introduction; Sense of Community
How the Heart Works - Basics on Anatomy & Physiology
Heart Disease
Heart Rhythm Basics - The Electrocardiogram Including Conduction Defects, Pacemaker, and Devices
Risk Factors for Heart Diseases
Blood Pressure - Normal & High
Food as Medicine - Heart Healthy Eating
Exercising Test
Exercising Training
Psychological Stress; Management Techniques
Dealing With Emergencies
Common Cardiac Medications

Weekly Schedule

The Cardiovascular Wellness Program is located at Folsom Hall at Sacramento State University, 7667 Folsom Blvd., Suite 3030, 3rd floor, NE corner. We are not located on the main campus. Open: Tuesday, Thursday & Friday

MORNING SESSIONS

Exercise per usual, Tues, Thurs and Fri mornings, 9 -2:30pm.

Usual group activities during this period:

9:00AM Tai Chi (Mo,Tu.Th,Fr)
- Zoom ID: 897 520 111
- Link: https://csus.zoom.us/j/897520111
10:15AM group stretch/core/balance routine (Tu/Th)
- Zoom link: 881 9363 5013
- Link: https://csus.zoom.us/j/88193635013
11:10 AM group resistance training (Tu/Th/Fr)
- Zoom ID: 889 3266 7307
- Link: https://csus.zoom.us/j/88932667307
11:45AM Guest Presentations/Activities
- https://csus.zoom.us/j/91653759408

Get your 30-60 minutes of CV activity around the group things you want to do.

Educational presentations usually follow at 11:45 am. Monthly calendar below.

AFTERNOON SESSIONS

Group activities during this period

1:15 pm group stretch/core/balance and/or circuits (Mo/Tu/Th/Fr)
- Zoom ID: 505 510 964
- Link: https://csus.zoom.us/j/505510964
2:30 pm chair exercise (Mo/Tu/Th)
- Zoom ID: 950 2893 0586
- Link: https://csus.zoom.us/j/95028930586
2:30 pm Balance Activities (Fr)
- Zoom ID: 865 7400 3755
- Link: https://csus.zoom.us/j/86574003755

Cardiovascular Wellness Program