After a heart attack, take these steps to prevent a second occurrence.
After experiencing a heart attack, it’s common to go through a wide range of emotions: relief that the ordeal is over, uncertainty about what may have caused the attack, and concern about the possibility of it happening again, just to name a few. The good news is there are steps that heart attack survivors can take to greatly reduce their chance of a second occurrence.
Of course, before making any lifestyle changes, it’s important to consult with the doctor. With his or her approval, the senior care professionals at Absolute Companion Care, the area’s top providers of highly skilled senior home care services, recommend the following:
- Stick to the prescribed medication plan. Sometimes, when a patient is feeling better, the inclination is to discontinue medications. However, post-heart attack prescriptions are intended to significantly lower the risk of a second attack, and therefore are vitally important to continue.
- Stay on track with follow-up appointments. Life gets busy, and as with prescription meds, it’s common for elders to slack off on keeping regular medical appointments. Again, it’s crucial to a person’s recovery and continued heart health to visit with the physician as often as recommended. And if transportation is a problem, Absolute Companion Care can help.
- Make wise lifestyle choices. Heart attack risk factors include smoking, a sedentary lifestyle, and poor dietary choices. Resolving to live a healthier life by making improvements in any of these areas is helpful.
- Find support. Partnering with those who’ve survived a similar trauma is a great way to find strength and encouragement following something as life-changing as a heart attack. The American Heart Association’s online support group is a good place to start.
Another wonderful source of support for those recovering from a heart attack is partnering with Absolute Companion Care. Our care team is fully trained and experienced in a wide range of services that can improve heart health, such as planning and preparing nutritious meals, providing transportation to medical appointments and procedures, offering encouragement to engage in physical activity, and so much more. Providing the highest quality senior home care in Baltimore and the surrounding areas, contact us at 410-357-9640 for help in maintaining optimal health and wellbeing for yourself or an elder loved one.