After your
heart
You can lead a attack
normal life after A guide to help you recover
a heart attack
Many people go on to live full,
healthy lives after having a heart
attack.
Knowing common heart attack
symptoms, as well as taking
steps to prevent another heart
Belgium, The European Heart House
attack, are great ways to increase
your life expectancy after such
European Society of
an event.
Use this brochure to provide
answers about why heart attacks
Cardiology
occur and what to expect during
recovery.
Being overweight - For those above a
Participate in cardiac healthy weight, a sustained weight loss of
3 to 5 percent of your body weight may
rehab lead to significant reductions in some risk
factors.
Cardiac rehabilitation improves your physical and Diabetes - If you have diabetes, be sure
emotional recovery by increasing your physical to work with your doctor to manage.
fitness.
Helps you adopt lifestyle changes, such as eating a
heart healthy diet, maintaining healthy weight, quit
Get support
smoking and addressing sources of stress in your life.
Take Your Medications Sharing your journey to recovery with family,
friends and other survivors can help reduce anxiety
After a heart attack, you will be prescribed several Manage risk factors and loneliness.
medications before leaving hospital that you will need “Do your part, care for your heart, but also
to keep taking when you go home. Use medications and lifestyle changes to lower your
risk of another heart attack. let others do theirs and allow them to care
For your medication to work most effectively you for you.”
must take it exactly as prescribed by your doctor. There are some major risk factors you can modify,
treat or control Research suggests that survivors with an optimistic
It’s important to have a good understanding of what
Tobacco smoke - The risk that smokers attitude, good social support are less likely to be
your medicines are and how and when to take them.
will develop coronary heart disease is much readmitted to the hospital with heart problems.
higher than that for nonsmokers.
These medications are vital for your recovery and
your ongoing health. Medication reduces the risk of High blood cholesterol - As your blood
cholesterol rises, so does your risk of
more heart attacks and other forms of cardiovascular
coronary heart disease. A person’s
disease. Medication can also reduce symptoms such cholesterol level is also affected by age, sex,
as pain or breathlessness and improve your quality of heredity and diet, therefore try to engage in
life. a heart friendly diet
High blood pressure - To reduce blood
pressure, try to avoid stress during your
Follow-up with your daily activities, and in severe cases of high
blood pressure contact your GP.
doctor Physical inactivity - Regular, moderate to Contact us
vigorous physical activity helps reduce the
Some risk factors for heart attack, such as high
risk of cardiovascular disease. European Society of Cardiology
cholesterol, high blood pressure, and early-stage
The European Heart House
diabetes are asymptomatic. Your doctor can use Les Templiers, Brussels, B-1000
various tests to determine if these risk factors are
present and, if so, to start appropriate treatment. +32022741070
dpo@escardio.org
Attending your follow-up appointments will help
your doctors keep track of your condition and Visit us on the Web:
recovery. escardio.org
