Informing about the lifestyle that must be followed to avoid relapses and make the population aware that after the infarction, it is also useful to modify the risk factors.
Likewise, it intends to reduce the drama of the infarction, emphasising that “compliance with preventive measures, periodic controls, changes in lifestyle and adequate treatment allow the prognosis after a heart attack to be excellent.”
The guide describes coronary heart disease and answers the questions that most concern the infarcted and related to work life, social and sexual relationships, sports practices, diet, diagnostic tests, treatments and reactions in an emergency.
The best option after a heart attack is to go to a cardiac rehabilitation program, which includes physical exercise and psychotherapy and helps patients return to their daily lives in the best conditions. Physical exercise must be progressive and performed under medical supervision, adapted to the possibilities of each one.
How to avoid heart attack:
- No fume.
- Know and control your blood pressure.
- Keep cholesterol, triglycerides and glucose levels within normal limits.
- Get regular physical exercise.
- Avoid excess weight.
- Defend yourself from stressful situations.
- From the age of 45, check your cardiac situation regularly.
- Always follow the advice of your cardiologist.
- Do not stop treatment without prior consultation
During the first post-infarction month, specialists recommend:
- Avoid a sedentary lifestyle and walk daily. Never do sudden exercises.
- The diet must be balanced.
- Forget work. It is a period in which the patient must rest and take a well-deserved vacation.
- Take all the drugs that the specialist has prescribed. If you have any problems or adverse reactions, consult your doctor.
- Take the hospital discharge report with you, as it can be useful to the doctors who treat you in an emergency.
- It is advisable to always carry vasodilator medications on hand for emergencies.
- If new or unexplained symptoms appear, do not hesitate to visit an emergency centre.
- After the first month, gradually increase the activity until reaching normality.
- The physical demands and stress of working life will determine whether or not you can return to work after a heart attack.
One in five heart patients will suffer from depression
The heart has always been considered the centre of emotions. In patients who have overcome a heart attack, it is very important to attend to their psychological state since it has a decisive influence on their evolution.
Cardiac rehabilitation programs should not only focus on caring for the patient’s physical state but must also attend to their emotional state.
“When a person suffers a heart attack, especially if it is the first, it changes their life radically and sometimes by surprise,” says Carlos Catalina, coordinator of Psychology at Ibermutuamur and co-author of the manual A psychosocial vision of coronary disease. “Heart attack is a serious disease that requires a significant adaptation process.
People diagnosed with depression after a heart attack have a worse prognosis, associated with new episodes and higher mortality. The origins of this fact are varied: lack of treatment adherence, problems changing lifestyle and even biological mechanisms that affect recovery.
“The presence of depressive symptoms already affects the prognosis. With subclinical states, there is also an increased risk.”
One in five heart patients will suffer from depression
The heart has always been considered the centre of emotions. In patients who have overcome a heart attack, it is very important to attend to their psychological state since it has a decisive influence on their evolution.
Cardiac rehabilitation programs should not only focus on caring for the patient’s physical state but must also attend to their emotional state.
“When a person suffers a heart attack, especially if it is the first, it changes their life radically and sometimes by surprise,” says Carlos Catalina, coordinator of Psychology at Ibermutuamur and co-author of the manual A psychosocial vision of coronary disease. “Heart attack is a serious disease that requires a significant adaptation process. It is estimated that one in five patients will suffer from a depressive disorder, and about 50 per cent will show symptoms close to depression .”
People diagnosed with depression after a heart attack have a worse prognosis, associated with new episodes and higher mortality. The origins of this fact are varied: lack of treatment adherence, problems changing lifestyle and even biological mechanisms that affect recovery.
“The presence of depressive symptoms already affects the prognosis. With subclinical states, there is also an increased risk.”