Lifestyle key to cardiac rehabilitation
Wednesday September 7th, 2016
Heart patients need to be encouraged to adopt healthy lifestyles to prevent repeat episodes, according to European guidelines published today.
Clinicians should also stress to patients the need to take their prescription medicine, the guidelines say. The medication will aim to protect coronary vessels and control risk factors such as hypertension and cholesterol levels.
Patients should be told the key lifestyle factors needed to reduce risk - not smoking, regular physical activity and eating healthy food, according to the European Society of Cardiology guidelines.
A European survey of myocardial infarction patients found that after their illness 16% continue to smoke, 38% remain obese and 60% undertake little or no physical activity.
The guidelines were published in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology today.
Professor Massimo Piepoli, who led the guideline development, said: “One in five people who survive a heart attack have a second cardiovascular event in the first year – even when receiving optimal treatment and care.
"The people behind these numbers spurred this call for action to reduce the risk.”
He said: “We also know that more than half of heart attack patients stop taking their preventive medications.”
Professor Joep Perk, from the society, said: “Stopping smoking beats everything for preventing heart attacks. Combine that with exercise and a healthy diet and we could avoid 80% of all myocardial infarctions.
He added: “Patients are almost blinded by the excellent results of stents to clear blocked arteries. There is an over-belief in what medical care can provide and patients feel they don’t have to do anything.
"The challenge is to convince patients that the best way to prevent another heart attack is to take responsibility for their own health."
Piepoli MF, Corrà U, Dendale P, et al. Challenges in secondary prevention after acute myocardial infarction: A call for action. European Journal of Preventive Cardiology 7 September 2016. doi: 10.1177/2047487316663873
Tags: Diet & Food | Europe | Fitness | Heart Health
Printer friendly page