Men’s Recovery After a Heart Attack

If you are a man that has survived a heart attack you probably have plenty of questions and fears. Due to advances in medical care, more and more people are now able to survive heart attacks and go on to lead normal healthy lives.

A man that has survived a heart attack needs to realize that his life will not be the same right away. There is a period of recovery that he must go through first.

You will need to have a period of rest after a heart attack. But this does not mean that you lay on the sofa all day. You will have periods of light exercise followed by rest. Your doctor will put you on an exercise plan that is right for you. If you feel tired during the day, take a nap. Make sure you get plenty of sleep at night.

In most cases you will be able to return to work. It could be as little as two weeks or up to three months depending on the severity of your heart attack and damage to the heart muscle. Your doctor will be able to tell you how long you can expect to be off of work.

It is normal to feel depression, as well as fear and anger after a heart attack. These feelings will probably pass after a few months. You may feel that you are going to die every time you have a little twinge of pain in your chest. This fear is normal for post heart attack sufferers. If you find that you are depressed and it is interfering with sleeping, eating or other normal daily activities, let your doctor know right away. Depression can become overwhelming and lead to thoughts of suicide if not treated.

It may be normal to have some chest pain after a heart attack. But keep in mind that the pain you experience should be light and it should quickly go away. You may experience chest pain after exercise or other physical exertion. If you are having any type of chest pains, let your doctor know. He may be able to prescribe medications for you that will help to ease the chest pain.

When you are recovering from a heart attack it is important that you examine your lifestyle and make any necessary changes. If you continue to smoke after a heart attack, your chances of having another heart attack doubles.

It is important that you become more active after a heart attack. By increasing your activity level, you will be able to lower your cholesterol, reduce your weight and keep your blood pressure under control.

Good nutrition is critical after you have a heart attack. You should modify your diet to reduce the fat intake. Include plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables and make sure you drink plenty of water. Doing this can help you maintain a healthy heart after a heart attack.

Recovering from a heart attack can be scary. But if you follow your doctor’s advice and modify your bad lifestyle habits, you can reduce your chances of having another heart attack significantly.

Resources:

Cleveland Clinic: Recovery after a Heart Attack

http://my.clevelandclinic.org/heart/disorders/cad/mi_recovery.aspx

NHS Choices: Recovering from a Heart attack

http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Heart-attack/Pages/Recovery.aspx

Health.com: Heart attack

http://www.health.com/health/condition-section/0,,20187869,00.html

Family Practice: Recovering from a Heart attack

http://fampra.oxfordjournals.org/content/23/2/220.full

Sutter Health: Myocardial Infarction – Your Guide to Recovery

http://www.cpmc.org/learning/documents/rg-acutemi.html

Cedars Sinai: Heart Attack