Living Healthy After A Heart Attack

Recovering from a heart attack can take several months. As your health continues to improve and you begin feeling better, it’s tempting to take shortcuts on your health.

But doing so can put you at risk for a second heart attack. In fact, the American Heart Association says 1 in 5 people who have had a heart attack will have a second one in the next five years. Sticking to the healthy changes you've recently made to continue improve your health can help you prevent a second heart attack in the future.

7 Things To Do After A Heart Attack

1. Follow Up With Your Healthcare Team

Keep your routine appointments with your cardiologist, dietitians, cardiac rehabilitation and other members of your heart care team. This includes having tests done again, like blood tests, EKGs, or exercise stress test, to monitor any changes in your health. Be sure to alert your doctor of any changes in symptoms, such as pain or shortness of breath.

To prevent a second heart attack, experts recommend following professional advice regarding medication and making lifestyle changes to reduce risk factors, including exercising, eating a heart-healthy diet, losing weight, controlling blood pressure and quitting smoking.

"I always say the best treatment for heart disease is prevention," said Brittany M Dixon, MD, a cardiologist at Franciscan Health Cardiology Olympia Fields. "The first thing you need to do is know your numbers. Things that we can control are our blood pressure, our blood sugar, our cholesterol. Everyone should have a good idea of what those numbers are, and that means following up regularly with your doctor and getting bloodwork done, having these vital signs checked. Knowing where you lay is very important."

2. Pace Yourself

Listen to your body and don’t push too hard. You may consider going to work only part-time at first to reduce stress and gradually build physical stamina.

3. Watch Your Stress Levels

Being stressed impacts more than your mental health. Stress was associated with a 20% overall increased risk for heart disease.

Research has shown that the hormones released by chronic stress, like cortisol, can affect blood sugar levels, inflammation, and other systemic risks to the heart. Being overly stressed can lead you to unhealthy coping behaviors like smoking, drinking, not exercising or overeating, all of which can harm your heart health.

Try to replace negative coping skills. Meditation, mindfulness, yoga or even just taking deep breaths and listening to relaxing music are powerful stress relievers. Choose something that works for you and make sure to do it every single day.

4. Get Enough Sleep

Sleep helps your body heal and protects your immune system Recommendations are 7 – 9 hours each night for most adults.

People with highly irregular sleep patterns – falling asleep and waking up at different times every day – had a higher risk of heart attack, stroke or death related to heart problems, researchers reported.

In fact, the worse a person’s sleep regularity, the higher their risk of a life-threatening or fatal heart attack or stroke, results show.

A greater proportion of regular sleepers got the recommended amount of sleep, 61% versus 48% of irregular sleepers.

Getting enough sleep could moderate the heart health risk among people whose sleep patterns are somewhat irregular, analysis revealed.

5. Eat A Heart-Healthy Diet

The major ingredients of a heart-healthy diet are fairly well-established: fruits and vegetables, whole grains, beans, nuts, fish and low-fat dairy. Research shows people who stick to this eating pattern are less likely to get sick and more likely to live longer free of chronic disease.

In its 2021 scientific statement on dietary guidance, the American Heart Association recommended both the Mediterranean and the DASH diets for good heart health.

The DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) diet has been around for almost 25 years and it’s still one of the top diets recommended for overall good health and heart disease prevention.

Comprised of eating vegetables, fruits and whole grains, fat-free and low-fat dairy products, fish, poultry, beans, nuts and vegetable oils, DASH limits fatty meats, full-fat dairy, tropical oils, sugar-sweetened beverages and sweets.

Foods should be low in both saturated and trans fats, as well as sodium. They should be high in potassium, calcium, magnesium, fiber and protein.

People who follow those heart-healthy eating patterns have up to a 28% lower cardiovascular death rate, according to the guidance, which cited past research.

6. Exercise

Participating in cardiac rehab, a supervised exercise program essentially for cardiac patients, can reduce your risk of a second heart attack. "I have so many patients who may be in the hospital for heart attack or stroke, and they are scared," Dr. Dixon said. "They're very scared to get back out there and start being active again. This really is a way to segue and to show that one, it's safe, and two, prove that they can do it."

After cardiac rehab is complete, don't let exercise fall by the wayside. Include a mix of aerobic exercise, strength exercise and stretching. Consider walking, biking and swimming, which improves your heart, lungs, blood vessels and endurance. Strength exercises, like weightlifting, build muscle and endurance. Stretching increases flexibility and reduces stress.

7. Use Your Support System

Don’t be afraid to be honest about your heart attack recovery and give friends and family suggestions for helping out, such as sharing lunchtime walks or enjoying healthy snacks together.

Seek out external support in support groups, cardiac rehab and tobacco cessation programs.

HealthDay News contributed information to this article.