In 1983, when Bonnie Tyler sang "Total Eclipse of the Heart," her heartbreak may have been beyond help. But for the estimated 6.5 million people with heart failure — and the nearly 1 million people every year who are newly diagnosed — there's a lot they can do to prevent an eclipse of their heart.

A study in Circulation: Heart Failure tracked around 70,000 patients eligible for cardiac rehab six weeks after hospitalization for heart failure with reduced ejection fraction of 35% or less. (A normal ejection fraction is 55%-70%. This means 55% to 70% of blood in the left ventricle is pumped out with each heartbeat. Heart failure with reduced ejection fraction happens when the ejection fraction is 35% or less.)

It turns out that less than 25% of those qualified for cardiac rehab were referred by their doctors (a serious oversight). And among folks who were referred to cardiac rehab, only 4.1% went through the program. That's risky.

At Cleveland Clinic, almost 48% of eligible patients go through cardiac rehab because nurses and doctors approach patients six times before discharge to encourage participation. And there's a second-stage cardiac rehab (the Ornish Program) that's beneficial.  

A Cochrane meta-review confirms cardiac rehab reduces the relative risk of all-cause death and heart failure hospitalization by 25%-30%, and improves health-related quality of life.

If you've been in the hospital for heart failure with reduced ejection fraction, get moving. Talk to your cardiologist about doing cardiac rehab — and if you're prescribed cardiac rehab, attend each session.

Most Medicare and Medicaid programs cover the cost.