It is devastating for anyone to hear that the chest pain they had was a heart attack. Initially, though people who have suffered heart attacks go through a difficult period, most recover and can lead a normal life. To achieve this goal, in addition to the drugs, prescribed to you, there is a need for a lifestyle change.
A heart attack occurs when a part of the muscles in your heart dies, due to lack of blood supply. A clot occludes a small vessel, which is already narrowed by the deposition of cholesterol. This cuts off the blood supply to part of the heart.
Since the heart muscle does not get enough blood for it to function, it dies after some time. By the time you reach the hospital, part of this affected muscle may already be dead, but some parts will be viable. So the sooner you reach the hospital, the better the chances of saving a significant part of the heart muscle.
First few days in hospital
At the hospital, you will be given drugs to dissolve this clot and to prevent progression of the clot and formation of other clots. You will also be administered medication to lower your cholesterol levels, reduce blood pressure and heart rate and lessen the workload on the heart.
If the doctors suspect you are having a heart attack, you will be advised to bed-rest and be given oxygen via a face mask to increase the amount of oxygen that your heart gets. It is always better not to exert yourself at this moment as it will exert your heart as well.
Ideally you should take strict bed rest, for 12 hours at least, during which time you should not even walk to the toilet but use a bedpan. If the heart attack is a minor one and you no longer have pain, you'll be allowed to get off the bed after about 12 hours.
However, some doctors prefer to keep such patients in bed for 24 hours. This time period will vary depending on the damage to your heart.
If a fairly large area of the heart has succumbed, the chances are that the functioning of the heart will be less than optimum. In these instances where your blood pressure is on the low side and/or you feel short of breath, the time for you to bed - rest will be more.
During the first day, unless you feel weak and breathless, you can start on a liquid diet, like fruit juices, kanjee or soup. If your condition is stable, you can even take a light diet like a sandwich or a slice of fruit by the end of the day.
Gradually, over a few days, you can change to a normal diet. Usually uncomplicated heart attacks will necessitate a hospital stay of about four days, the duration depending on the patient's condition and the treatment being given.
When you go home
When you go home it is natural that everyone will see you as a patient. You may also feel depressed when limitations are imposed on your activities. Yet, try to take things easy. In contrast to previous beliefs that you need to rest for your heart to heal, now it is accepted that you need to exercise, and more or less get back to normal life. However, measures have to be taken to prevent a further episode.
Smoking
Stop smoking. Every cigarette you smoke steals four minutes from the lifetime of a normal person and much more from a person with a diseased heart. It is one of the major risk factors for heart attacks.
Diet
This is the time everybody at home says no to everything you want to eat.
Do not skip meals. You can take plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables. Cereals like gram and green gram will not cause harm while fish such as salmon, herring, mackerel, and sardines which have omega 3 fatty acids is also good for the heart. Pre- cooked canned products of these fish may be rich in salt, which is not good for the heart. So, always try to buy fresh fish.
Chicken is not bad for your heart, but remember to eat skinless chicken, as the skin contains fat.
If you are overweight switching to a better diet will help you to reduce your weight. Obesity is a well-known risk factor for heart attacks.
What you should avoid is high calorie food, as most of the extra calories will tend to accumulate as fat inside the body. This means that if you take a sugary drink which has a lot of calories but no fat, it will be converted to fat. Therefore, avoid foods rich in sugar and carbohydrates. It is also best to avoid, fried food, artificial soft drinks, milk containing fat (take non-fat milk instead), red meat, like pork and beef, and prawns and cuttlefish (as they contain a lot of cholesterol).
Many people believe that they should reduce their salt intake. A low- salt diet has a blood pressure lowering effect, but that does not mean that you need to eat unpalatable food which has no salt. You can have salt, but do not add salt at the table and always avoid food that has excessive salt like pickles and salty snacks.
Drink plenty of water
Alcohol
Alcohol contains empty calories which mean calories with no nutritional value. By drinking alcohol you will load your body with unwanted calories. Therefore cut down on liquor.
Bowel habits
Though often missed, it is important to pay attention to your bowel habits. Constipation should be prevented as straining is not good for your heart. Try drinking plenty of water and eating a lot of fruits and vegetables. If these do not solve the problem, your doctor could prescribe some medication for you.
Exercise
Many fear that if they exercise they will get another heart attack. However, when you exercise your body and heart get conditioned, while on the other hand the chances of you having another heart attack are more with a sedentary lifestyle.
How and when should you start exercising? During the first few days the doctor will advise you as to what you should do and what not to do – as you need to avoid activities that make you hold your breath. Activities that need sudden bursts of energy, like pushing, pulling and lifting should be avoided. However, you can go to the bathroom, wash your face or walk in the garden.
After a couple of weeks, your doctor will ask you to get an exercise-test done before he advises you on the level of activity you should perform. The suitable exercises are those that involve your whole body like walking, swimming and cycling.
For a start you could take a 10-minute slow walk twice a day. The ideal exercise schedule is 40 minutes daily for at least four days a week.
Consult your doctor if you get the following symptoms during exercise:
- Shortness of breath for more than about 10 minutes
- Chest pain or pain in your arms, neck, jaw or stomach
- Dizzy spells
- Pale or splotchy skin
- Very fast or irregular heartbeat
- Cold sweats
- Nausea and vomiting
- Weakness or fainting
- Swelling or pain in your legs
Sex
Do not be hesitant to discuss the issue with your doctor. Usually, having sex after about four weeks may not cause a problem but this will vary from person to person.
Work
Most people go back to work in about two months. However, you might need to carry out certain changes if your job involves heavy work or is stressful.
Depression
It is usual to feel depressed after a major illness, but should improve when you get back to normal life. Try to enjoy your hobbies. If depression persists, seek professional help. Treatment and/or counselling will help you to get back to normal life easily.
Cardiac rehabilitation
These are multifaceted programmes which address diet, exercise, psychological development and other aspects, so do check with your cardiologist.
A heart attack is just another disease that you need to recover from. Believe not only in life but also in a healthy tomorrow. |
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