A heart attack can be life-threatening even if you survive it, because it may eventually lead to heart failure. As blood clots block the coronary arteries and oxygen no longer reaches the heart, the heart’s muscle cells begin to die, causing a heart attack. Multiple heart attacks weaken the heart, which puts a person’s life at risk. With proper treatment, the damage of a heart attack can be contained, provided you take good care of yourself.
What do you need to know?
1. Controlling your emotions
Heart attacks can be really overwhelming, and people who survive them might end up feeling depressed or angry that this happened in the first place. Know that these feelings are normal for about two to six months after the event.
Anxiety is also common, because every time you feel a little pain you might be afraid of suffering another heart attack. The most important thing to keep in mind at this point is that stress, anger, anxiety, and all these other strong emotions are a risk factor for blood pressure, and blood pressure can lead to another heart attack.
2. Attending cardiac rehabilitation
Cardiac rehabilitation programs are designed to help people by training them for a heart-healthy life. You can talk to your doctor about how to join such a program or they might even recommend one without you asking.
The main goal of these programs is to prepare you for certain lifestyle changes that you need to make in order to prevent a future heart attack. You will be educated on what heart health means, learn about exercises that keep your heart healthy, and will also receive counseling to prevent you from falling in the whirlwind of emotions we spoke of earlier.
3. Resting enough
Naturally, you won’t be able to run a marathon the day after you’ve suffered a heart attack. But, while rest after such an event is important, participating in activities that make you physically and socially active is just as important. These will help keep your heart and your mind healthy. In the majority of heart attack cases, doctors will tell their patients to exercise more than they did before their heart attack.
4. Taking medication
Medication is a very important part of your heart attack recovery process. Aside from lifestyle changes, your doctor will recommend a series of prescription meds that will help put you on the right track. This medication is generally manages the problems that caused the heart attack in the first place, which means you might receive pills to keep blood pressure under control, or perhaps cholesterol-lowering medication.
It’s crucial to take your pills every day, just like the doctor told you to. If you have any concerns about the meds you’re taking or if you feel that the side effects of these drugs are too powerful, don’t be afraid to talk to your doctor about it. There are alternative drugs that you can take.
5. Eating properly
The primary cause of a heart attack is coronary artery disease, which all starts from having too much cholesterol in the bloodstream. Since cholesterol is something that the human body naturally produces to stay healthy, the intake you get from food is considered extra, which means you have to be really careful with excess cholesterol.
Doctors will usually tell you what kinds of food you should avoid, but also which ones are rich in good cholesterol, and should be a part of your weekly diet. There is also plenty of information online that will guide towards a healthy heart diet. You will basically have to give up trans and saturated fats, foods that are high in sugar and salt (also important if you have diabetes and/or high blood pressure), but also meals that have way too many calories (because obesity is a risk factor for heart disease).
6. Exercising more
However, exercising is something that you should talk to your doctor about, because not every heart attack survivor can run 10 miles per day. Exercise should be tailored to the current health status of each person. While exercising is good, your body needs to be able to handle it.
Conclusion
Even if a heart attack is a medical emergency, it’s something a lot of people can come back from. Multiple heart attacks can lead to heart failure, so it’s really important to diagnose it as soon as possible and start the right treatment immediately. By following the doctor’s recommendations, making lifestyle changes, eating better, exercising more, and taking your medication, you can live a long and happy life, and have your heart’s health restored.
Sources & Links
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