Myocardial infarction: contraindications, rehabilitation at home. Insomnia is fatal after myocardial infarction What not to do after myocardial infarction

29.04.2017

With a heart attack, a section of heart tissue dies as a result of oxygen starvation, a scar is formed.

There may be several such scars, and a person can find out that he had previously had a heart attack during hospitalization in cardiology due to a new heart attack.

After each heart attack, a scar is formed, which is fraught with a violation of the contraction of the heart muscle. Blood will circulate through the organs and systems not in the same volume and rhythm, but with disturbances. Why can't the heart muscles contract like they used to?

Because through the resulting scar, an electrical impulse is blocked, which makes the heart muscle work. Because of this blockage, rhythmic contractions occur, gradually leading to heart failure.

A person cannot avoid the consequences of necrosis, the functionality of the heart will be limited by the size of the affected area. After a heart attack, some organs will receive less blood and nutrients in it.

Popular causes of a heart attack

One of the main reasons that often undermine men's health is smoking. While smoking cigarettes, the lungs get microtrauma, the result is the formation of blood clots. Particles of lung tissue break off and move through the bloodstream to the coronary arteries of the heart, where they can clog the lumen and provoke a heart attack.

Another reason that causes damage to the heart muscle is overeating, the abuse of fatty and high-calorie foods with a high cholesterol content. Cholesterol plaques form on the walls of blood vessels, which narrows the lumen of the vessels and slows down blood circulation, which in the long term is fraught with the formation of blood clots and heart attack.

Physical inactivity due to a sedentary lifestyle is a significant factor due to which many people end up in hospitals with heart disease every year. By ignoring the need for physical activity, a person spends little energy and consumes a lot of calories.

As a result, the body is overgrown with fat and the muscles weaken. Why is such a scenario dangerous? The fact that its consequences are manifested in insufficient blood supply to various parts of the body, to the point that some arteries die off, and the circulatory system degrades. This can lead to blockage of the heart arteries.

Other causes that provoke a heart attack and its consequences are diabetes mellitus, alcoholism, overexertion during arrhythmia, and kidney pathology. Each of these factors can cause pathology of the heart muscle by itself or in combination with other causes.

Therefore, it is important to consult a doctor on time. How long and well you can live is related to how a person organizes his life, what he does to improve its quality, what measures he takes to prevent various diseases.

How lifestyle is changing

The fact that the consequences of a heart attack in men and women are inevitable is not a reason to put an end to yourself, considering it inferior. Over time, you can recover, it all depends on the age at which a microinfarction occurred in men and how large the area is affected.

The only thing that a person will have to remember about the disease and change their lifestyle, many habits, taking into account the new features of the body. In particular, there can be no talk of bad habits.

The doctor will prescribe medications that you need to take so that there is no relapse and compensate for the negative consequences of a heart attack. In place of the tissues of the heart, where the blood did not flow, a scar is formed.

With a small size of the scar, instead of the dead tissues of the heart muscle, neighboring cardiomyocytes will work, and then the organ will work at full strength. But if a person has a large scar on his heart, then he is likely to develop arrhythmia in the future.

Initially, a person who has had heart disease is interested in how the world in which he lives will change, or rather, his role in this world. In particular, active patients are interested in predictions about the timing of the return to work.

The recovery period lasts from 2 weeks to several months, depending on the age of the patient, concomitant diseases, and the severity of the infarction. When making a prognosis for myocardial infarction regarding work activity, the doctor considers the activity itself.

If it is associated with hard physical labor, you will have to temporarily abandon it or forever, otherwise life expectancy after a heart attack will be short. The law contains recommendations to employers on finding suitable employment for employees during the recovery period after such a serious illness.

How health changes after a heart attack

Doctors know that the consequences of myocardial infarction can manifest themselves on a physiological and psychological level. Angina pectoris may be disturbing - this is a reason to see a doctor.

It is important to notify the doctor about your condition if such attacks of angina pectoris occur frequently, not only during physical activity, but also in a calm state. Seriously speaking, the consequences of myocardial infarction may indicate an impending second heart attack. The new attack will be harder than the previous one.

Often, life after a heart attack is complicated by the presence of negative emotions, ranging from bad mood to depression and fear of death. Often, the deterioration of the emotional state occurs against the background of increased aggression. Anger indicates the presence of fear caused by discomfort in the sternum and the risk of facing a recurrence of the disease.

If you constantly think about myocardial infarction, the consequences cannot be positive, because a person does not feel like a full-fledged part of society, but is waiting for death. Such isolation does not bode well, it is fraught with isolation from the world, a violation of the usual way of life, a surge of negative emotions.

It is not necessary to try to treat psychological trauma on your own. It is better to contact your doctor or psychologist who will tell you that life after a myocardial infarction is not so terrible as disability due to loss of a limb, tumor, etc.

Prevention of a recurrent heart attack

As soon as the recovery period allows you to return to normal life, you need to think about how to prevent a possible relapse of the disease. It is more convenient to start from the reasons that provoked the attack and all the consequences of a microinfarction. E If a pack of cigarettes smoked daily has become a provoking factor, it is logical to get rid of thoughts about smoking once and for all. If this is not done, there is a huge risk that soon you will have to ask the doctor how long they live after a second heart attack.

Many men, who are more likely than women to experience a heart attack, “sin” with smoking, overeating, physical inactivity and unhealthy culinary preferences. It is difficult to give up all bad habits and completely rebuild your lifestyle, but if you don’t want a heart attack in men to cause consequences in the form of paralysis, fuzzy speech, shortness of breath and the inability to be physically active, then it’s time to prioritize and choose what is more important.

Immediately become a runner from a couch potato, and it is not required. Instead of an hour of lying on the couch, it is enough to set aside time for walking or cycling. Instead of tasting strong spirits, you can get carried away with tasting different varieties of green tea. Ask your doctor if you can go to the gym.

It is better to start with exercise therapy in order to perform those exercises under the supervision of a trainer that will be appropriate for the load. As for nutrition, vegetables and fruits should predominate in the diet, and fats and salt with sugar should be minimized. These measures will not only reduce the risk of a second heart attack, but will have a positive effect on overall health.

Considering the question of how dangerous a heart attack is in women and men, there are practically no differences. It is more difficult for the stronger sex to subsequently give up serious physical exertion, since for many this is the main occupation. As for the stress on the heart during intimate relationships, men will have a difficult time here - since they usually play a dominant role.

Sexual relations - a load on the circulatory system, a surge of emotions and excitement. Here, a man needs to assess his physical readiness by comparing the state of health before and after a heart attack. If the activity is equal to the one that was before, then you can not deny yourself active intimate relationships.

It's about the physical aspect. As for the psycho-emotional load, at first you can not resort to stimulants in the form of erotic underwear, videos, pills, etc. Let the body gradually increase its power, returning to its former activity. You shouldn't hurry. If you behave correctly after a disease such as myocardial infarction, the prognosis is favorable.

How to live after a heart attack

After a disease such as a microinfarction, the consequences can be minimized if you adhere to the golden mean in the matter of work and rest.

Hard work must be abandoned, because it entails an increase in the contractions of the heart muscle, and the scar on the heart is still weak and can be damaged due to excessive stress. To prevent a re-attack, the doctor will advise which exercise regimen is preferable, how to eat and what to do in the first time after the illness.

The diet should contain foods that help lower blood pressure, normalize blood circulation in the body. In the diet, you need to minimize the amount of animal fats, as they become a source of cholesterol that is harmful to blood vessels.

Fatty meat, fish, lard and sour cream "deposit" on the walls of blood vessels with cholesterol plaques, causing a heart attack. Salty and spicy seasonings are also useless, as are alcoholic drinks. It does not bring any health benefits, only harm. Vegetables, lean fish, fruits, low-fat dairy products, cereals are the basis of a healthy diet.

You need to regularly undergo preventive examinations, take blood and urine tests, undergo an ECG, ultrasound as prescribed by a doctor. At first, life after a heart attack is associated with the prevention of complications. You can find out how well the recovery is going by the absence of signs of heart failure (no pain in the sternum), normal blood sugar and cholesterol levels, and pressure stability. If these indicators are close to normal, then the risk of a second heart attack is minimized.

How long you can live after a heart attack depends on the patient himself, and this is confirmed by numerous cases in medical practice. Patients who follow the recommendations of doctors were able to recover physically and psychologically. Every doctor's advice should be taken into account.

Thoughtful activities such as exercise therapy can be harmful if you don't take your heart rate after exercise. In addition to exercise, be sure to walk. Just walking close to home can do more than any gymnastics. The role of diet should not be underestimated, a person’s weight should be within the normal range, no matter what the media says about it.

A doctor will help you calculate the optimal body weight, you can contact him not only in the presence of a pathology, but in order to prevent its occurrence. Those who treat their body with respect and attention manage to avoid many diseases, and in case of illness, recover faster and return to normal life.

Myocardial infarction is a condition when there is a blockage of the coronary heart muscle due to its narrowing or discharge of a blood clot, causing a complete stop of the blood supply to this organ. Life expectancy after a heart attack directly depends on the degree of damage to the heart muscle and the severity of harm to the entire body. The disease is characterized by the presence of scars, which exclude the possibility of the full functioning of the heart, and the necrotic area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe muscle loses its elasticity and strength.

Methods of rehabilitation after a heart attack

Recovery largely depends on proper rehabilitation:

  1. Stationary. Recovery takes place under the strict supervision of medical personnel in the cardiology department.
  2. Day hospital. The patient is rehabilitated by being in the hospital only during the daytime. Walks in the fresh air, trips home are allowed.
  3. Outpatient. With it, the patient undergoes recovery on his own, visiting a cardiologist at the clinic on the appointed days.

A heart attack is a pathological condition accompanied by tissue necrosis due to impaired blood supply to the body.

How long the rehabilitation will last depends on the place of its implementation. On average, with inpatient treatment and proper functioning of the left ventricle, the patient is discharged on the tenth day of his stay in it. The prognosis for the life of each patient is individual. So, with timely detection and treatment of the disease, a person can live a long life. It all depends on the general state of his health, and at what age this misfortune happened to him. Statistics show that younger people are much easier to endure heart failure and its consequences than older people.

Remember that surviving a heart attack means dividing life into “before” and “after”. You should not dramatize the situation too much, but simply reconsider your attitude to life, habits, do not forget about prevention and self-control.

Types of heart attack

Please note that depending on the focus of the muscle lesion, the disease is divided into:

  • small (small-focal), when changes in the work of the heart are observed in its individual sections;
  • extensive, it is characterized by damage to large sections of the heart muscle.

Manifestations of myocardial infarction in each case are individual.

Types of extensive heart attack

Depending on the location of the injury, it is divided into a heart attack:

  • anterior wall of the left ventricle;

It has been established that damage to the anterior wall of the heart is the most common and easier to diagnose disease. It is almost impossible to establish dysfunction of the posterior wall. The cardiogram does not reveal abnormalities, which quite often leads to the death of the patient. Only after the person has died, the autopsy shows numerous scars on the back wall.

In rare cases, a chronic infarction is possible, which is not characterized by pain, with signs of suffocation or fever. It proceeds quite hard, having a large statistics of deaths. With any kind of such a disease, you can meet a "rupture of the heart" for the second time. It happens due to irreversible processes in the heart muscle and adjacent coronary vessels. Blood circulation is disturbed, atherosclerotic plaques appear, as a result of which a repeated heart attack is diagnosed.

Rehabilitation begins after the acute phase of myocardial infarction

Stenting is often used to prevent any type of heart attack. It is a mesh cobalt tube that is inserted into the narrowest part of the artery, ensuring a constant supply of blood to the heart. It is obligatory after stenting to take blood-thinning drugs in order to avoid thrombosis, from which the stent cannot protect. The operation belongs to the category of endovascular and is performed under local anesthesia.

How long they live after stenting is an incorrect question. You need to understand that the installation of a stent is a chance for a long and healthy life, which can be extended by the right daily routine and a healthy diet.

Life after a heart attack has its own characteristics, and in order to understand how to live with a myocardial infarction, what can and cannot be done, we will consider below. The main criterion for a full life after an illness is its quality.

To restore the body after a "break of the heart" you need:

  • follow a diet and proper nutrition;
  • avoid stress and do not overwork;
  • monitor your weight;

Physical activity is an integral part of rehabilitation therapy after a heart attack.

  • get rid of bad habits;
  • exercise;
  • monitor blood test results;
  • restore an acceptable level of blood pressure;
  • do not neglect the prescribed medications.

If these measures are followed, the likelihood of recurrence of the disease is significantly reduced.

Remember that in men the course of the disease and the recovery period is more difficult than in women. Therefore, if he has diabetes and he still smokes, the likelihood of the disease is much higher. But with such an ailment, it is not only possible to continue to live, but it is also necessary that it can ensure the right way of life.

Questions about sexual life after illness are the most frequent. At the moment of orgasm, the heartbeat accelerates and this becomes a great physical burden for the heart and for the whole organism. But if you endure the recovery period, gradually increasing the load from walking close distances to climbing stairs, thereby training the heart muscle, then a smooth transition to intimate contacts is not only possible, but will also positively affect the health of the whole organism.

The answer to the question: how to behave after stenting, there will be only one recommendation - adhere to proper nutrition, reconsider your habits.

The prognosis for life after a massive heart attack is less favorable, life expectancy will largely depend on the state of the body and the exact observance of rehabilitation measures.

People after a massive myocardial infarction, especially those who have experienced a massive posterior wall infarction, should definitely be observed by a cardiologist, since usually survival after such a disease is low. This is due to the fact that the heart can no longer work in the same mode, and the task of the patient is to help him in the life support of his body.

What will life be like after a heart attack, how long do patients with such a diagnosis live - the reviews are different. Remember that your health is in your hands.

After a heart attack, a person's life changes dramatically, this is due to the many restrictions that the disease imposes. So, the patient is forced to reconsider the lifestyle and change old habits. The very arteries of the heart. This process leads to a stop of the full blood supply to the site of this important organ, and also leaves it without oxygen. "Hunger" after 30 minutes leads to cell death.

It is important to maintain a healthy lifestyle after a heart attack.

Medical statistics show that over the past few decades, there has been a rejuvenation of the disease. Therefore, doctors are not surprised when this insidious disease overtakes people under the age of 30 years. It is believed that women under 50 years of age are less prone to heart attack. Scientists explain this by the fact that the female vessels are protected from atherosclerosis, which is often the cause of a heart attack, by estrogen. But after the onset of menopause, an illness can suddenly develop. How long they live after a heart attack is not exactly known, but there is an average figure - from 1 to 20 years. Basically, life expectancy after myocardial infarction depends on the patient himself, namely on his lifestyle. Specific recommendations on how to live after a myocardial infarction will be given by the attending doctor, the article contains the most basic rules.

Life "after"

Often, people who have undergone this condition are worried about many questions. So, many are interested in:

  1. Is it possible to put mustard plasters. According to doctors, this procedure has certain limitations. They can not be used by pregnant women, breastfeeding, in the presence of tuberculosis, oncology and skin lesions. Also, a mustard remedy is forbidden to be placed in the area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe heart, feet, palms. Before using them, it is better to consult with your doctor.
  2. Is it possible to drive a car after a myocardial infarction. Many people cannot imagine their life without a car. Experts allow the opportunity to drive only if the trip is short and the distance is not too long.

It is also important for the driver to remember that driving is still dangerous, since a heart attack can happen again. And if this condition suddenly overtakes a person while driving, something irreparable can happen. That is why it is not safe for a person who has had a heart attack to drive, it can threaten the life of him and his passengers.


For these reasons, a ban is imposed on the work of a driver, since due to the ability to drive a vehicle only up to 1 - 1.5 hours a day, a person is recognized as not fully able-bodied.

  1. Is it possible to have sex after a heart attack. Medical workers do not prohibit intimacy, but on the contrary, they advise, since positive emotions arise during this contact. It is noted that after that problems may appear - a decrease in desire, sexual weakness. The reasons may lie in the intake of certain medications prescribed after discharge. Against the background of problems in men, there is a risk of hypochondriacal syndrome, which will only aggravate the situation more. The excitement is in vain, because after a while everything will return to normal.
  2. Can you smoke after a heart attack? Relatives of the smoker, with his unwillingness to quit this addiction, should help him in this matter. The fact is that a smoker is more prone to a second heart attack. This is explained by the fact that during smoking, vasospasm occurs.
  3. Is it possible to use air services after a heart attack. Basically, if the patient has undergone rehabilitation, his heart muscle works without deviations, and a lot of time has passed after the disease, you can fly on an airplane. But before that, it is better to consult with your doctor and undergo an examination, get a prescription for medications that make it easier to fly on airplanes. According to experts, flying by air is not worth it for a person diagnosed with heart failure that cannot be corrected with medication. And also, people with arrhythmia, persistent arterial hypertension, and unstable angina do not need to fly on an airplane.


If the patient decides to go to the sea, he needs to remember what he can do on vacation. You should figure out what to do during the holidays. Doctors are allowed to swim, but only near the shore, you can not dive, sunbathe and be under the open scorching sun. The trip itself should be planned no earlier than six months later. Also, on vacation, the patient may be concerned about the question of whether it is possible to drink alcoholic beverages. All doctors agree that life after a heart attack and stenting implies a complete rejection of alcohol. If you drink alcohol to a person who has had an attack, much faster, which can lead to a second heart attack. It is also not recommended to drink kvass and coffee for the same reason. The disease also affects career. So, after an accident, as a result of pathological changes, many people will be forced to change their profession. This mainly concerns people who are faced with physical stress, and working under such conditions is now prohibited.

Sport

The heart needs constant training, which is why an active lifestyle after a heart attack is so important. The patient will be offered to perform moderate physical activity while still in the hospital. First, the patient should start exercise therapy, thanks to these exercises, the heart will be strengthened, blood circulation will normalize, and cholesterol levels will decrease. People who have had a seizure need to take up dynamic sports.


Suitable for cycling, skiing, walking, running. The most effective exercise in the fresh air. Do sports wisely, for this, do not sharply increase the load and monitor your heart rate. If a patient is diagnosed with a heart attack, he should not engage in strength training, as such sports load the heart muscle and increase blood pressure, which may result in complications. It is allowed to perform exercises with weights, women up to 5 kg., Men up to 20 kg. If during training shortness of breath, dizziness, pain in the heart area appear, you should stop exercising.

Nutrition

It plays an important role after an attack. The patient needs to eat a balanced, varied diet every day. Surely, even in the hospital, the victim was informed that foods rich in cholesterol should not be consumed. This is due to the fact that mostly coronary heart disease is caused by high cholesterol levels. Under the ban falls fried, smoked food, contributing to the development of atherosclerosis. Adding the following products to the menu will help eliminate the risk of a second attack:

  • whole grain bread, cereals;
  • fruits up to 200 grams per day (banana, kiwi, pear, melon, apple, orange, plum);
  • legumes up to 400 grams per day;
  • lean meat and fish in moderation, seafood;
  • milk and dairy products, but only fat-free;
  • chicken protein and yolk weekly up to three times;
  • vegetable and olive oil.

It is important to limit the use of salt, chocolate. And to support the normal functioning of the heart muscle, add raisins, prunes, dried apricots to the diet.

Remember that life after a heart attack does not end, and it is in your power to make it full and rich.

The heart and brain are more closely connected than previously thought. The damaging effects of myocardial infarction also affect the brain. In fact, a heart attack causes the death of neurons in the brain stem, which leads to insomnia.

Sleep plays a crucial role in heart attack recovery, University of Montreal scientists say

For two weeks after myocardial infarction, periods of REM sleep were observed less often and did not last long. This phenomenon was due to the death of cholinergic neurons that control REM sleep, as a result of apoptosis or programmed cell death.

A previous study by the team of Goodbott and Rousseau showed that myocardial infarction affected the limbic system, which is responsible for mood. This explains the depression that often occurs after heart attacks. Since depression often accompanies insomnia, the scientists wanted to test whether there was damage to neurons in the brainstem.

It turned out that myocardial infarction causes not only depression, but is also associated with the action of factors that generate inflammation of tissues, such as the brain, especially in areas that control sleep, its paradoxical phase. The specific function of this phase activates the areas of the brain responsible for the integration of emotions. This is how the risk of depression increases.

Poor sleep is a known risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Therefore, insomnia can impair rehabilitation, cause complications, and increase the risk of relapse.

The heart and brain are more closely connected than previously thought. The damaging effects of myocardial infarction also affect the brain. In fact, a heart attack causes the death of neurons in the brain stem, which leads to insomnia.

Sleep plays a crucial role in rehabilitation after a heart attack, according to scientists from the University of Montreal.

For two weeks after myocardial infarction, periods of REM sleep were observed less often and did not last long. This phenomenon was due to the death of cholinergic neurons that control REM sleep, as a result of apoptosis or programmed cell death.

A previous study by the team of Goodbott and Rousseau showed that myocardial infarction affected the limbic system, which is responsible for mood. This explains the depression that often occurs after heart attacks. Since depression often accompanies insomnia, the scientists wanted to test whether there was damage to neurons in the brainstem.

It turned out that myocardial infarction causes not only depression, but is also associated with the action of factors that generate inflammation of tissues, such as the brain, especially in areas that control sleep, its paradoxical phase. The specific function of this phase activates the areas of the brain responsible for the integration of emotions. This is how the risk of depression increases.

Poor sleep is a known risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Therefore, insomnia can impair rehabilitation, cause complications, and increase the risk of relapse.

An excellent way to improve sleep are herbal sedative preparations, consisting of several plants. For example, in one of the fees involved three ingredients - oregano, tansy and calendula. All dried herbs are taken equally, for half a liter of water you will need a large spoonful of the mixture. The drink is prepared in the usual way - the collection is poured with boiling water, infused and then filtered. Drink three times a day for half a glass.

Sometimes, because of the experiences, it is very difficult for a person to fall asleep, in this case, another soothing herbal collection will come in handy. St. John's wort, hop cones, chamomile, mint and lemon balm are mixed. A teaspoon of the mixture is brewed in a thermos for two hours, after straining, a healthy drink is ready. It is advisable to drink it in three doses before going to bed. This tea will help you relax and fall asleep peacefully.

A good dream will give a collection of water shamrock, valerian and peppermint. Herbs should be crushed and mixed, then a spoonful of the mixture is poured with boiling water and infused in a thermos. The drink will be ready to drink in half an hour. It must be filtered and taken in half a glass before bedtime. It is advisable for nervous people to drink this tea two or three times a week, it calms very well, but you can’t use it in the morning, as drowsiness and lethargy are possible.

If you need to relieve nervous tension, soothing teas on herbs caraway seeds, valerian and pharmacy chamomile are used. A drink prepared in the usual way should be taken in the morning and evening. This will ensure a good mood throughout the day. To put the nervous system in order, tea from these herbs is consumed for a month. Then periodically the course is repeated.

The following collection helps perfectly: meadowsweet, hop cones and mint. These herbs are dried, mixed and stored in a linen bag. With a bad dream, tea is brewed from this mixture and drunk in the evening before going to bed. If the taste seems too harsh, add a little sugar or honey.

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