Care After a Mild Heart Attack

One of the most common medical conditions in the United States is a heart attack. According to the Mayo Clinic, a heart attack occurs when the blood flow to the heart is blocked by a clogged artery. The lack of blood to the heart can damage or cause irreversible destruction to the heart. While a heart attack was often fatal years ago, with the leaps in technology in recent years, people typically survive heart attacks and go on to live normal lives. It is important to get proper care following a heart attack to prevent another one.

Immediate Hospital Care

• As soon as symptoms begin to show, such as shortness of breath, chest pain and sweating, it is important to get immediate medical help, says the Mayo Clinic. At the hospital, a doctor will examine you to determine how bad your heart attack is and give you aspirin and blood thinners. If a condition caused a mild heart attack, your doctor may recommend a medical procedure in the hopes of eliminating the problem. While still in the hospital, you will usually be referred to a cardiac rehabilitation center. There you will get advice, counseling, tips and support that will help you deal with your previous heart attack and to educate you on how to prevent a future one.

Home Care

• The majority of care following a mild heart attack will occur at home. There will be two areas, dieting and exercise, where you will need to reform your habits to properly care for your body. Following a heart attack, medical experts will strongly recommend following a heart-healthy diet, states Science Daily. Eating vegetables, fruits, low-fat grain and lean meats and staying clear of fats are important in helping to change some of the bad habits that you may have adopted. Taking a daily vitamin, quitting smoking and reducing the amount of alcohol consumed also are necessary to help prevent a second and more severe heart attack. The second important component of home care is to get exercise, says Family Doctor. Start off gradually and then slowly increase the amount of physical activity that you get. Among the recommended types of exercise are walking, bicycling, swimming and using an Elliptical trainer. Cardiovascular exercises are important to healing your heart and to help prevent a future heart attack. Once you get home from the hospital, slowly take up some of your regular daily activities. A sense of normalcy is important in home care following a mild heart attack, along with the dietary and physical changes you must make.