Reducing the Risk of Heart Attack After Surgery

Once you ve had a heart attack, your risk factor of having another one goes up. Having surgery increases your risk even more. There are some steps you can take, though, to reduce your risk of heart attack after surgery. The Risks About 5% of coronary bypass surgeries result in heart attacks because they can trigger an irregular heartbeat which increases the patient s risk of future heart attack and stroke. For women the percentage is slightly higher. Even for the other 95% of heart patients, though, repeated heart attack after surgery is always a risk. Other risk factors that can lead to heart attack after surgery include blood vessel disease or ischemia, a reduction in blood flow to the heart which can be detected with an EKG. Infection, which can sometimes be spread in hospitals, might cause heart attack in those already at risk. Sometimes the surgery itself can put stress on the heart which increases the likelihood of heart attack after surgery for those already at risks. So what are some steps you can take to improve your chances? Medications A recent study shows that the incidence of heart attack after surgery, specifically for heart surgery, is decreased in patients who take statins, popular cholesterol lowering drugs, before surgery. Other medications that may be given to patients to help prevent heart attack after surgery include beta blockers, which reduce the heart s workload, and ACE Inhibitors, which are used to help prevent heart failure. Diet After any kind of a heart incident, it is necessary to severely limit fat, especially saturated fat, and sodium intake. Most doctors will suggest keeping fat to below 20% of your daily caloric intake and completely eliminating all added salt from food. Another dietary change which could help prevent heart attack after surgery is increasing intake of antioxidants. Antioxidants are found in high concentrations in brightly colored fresh fruits and vegetables, in tea, and in red wine. (Always check with your doctor before consuming alcohol after surgery.) These compounds may improve healing, reduce inflammation and help prevent recurrence of heart attack. Exercise Recurrence of heart attack after surgery is much less common in patients who exercised regularly prior to surgery. Even after surgery, a carefully supervised exercise plan can help speed recovery by gradually strengthening the heart and thus can help to prevent a future heart attack. Doctors and physical therapists can develop an appropriate exercise plan for cardiac rehabilitation.#/TITLE#The Risks

About 5% of coronary bypass surgeries result in heart attacks because they can trigger an irregular heartbeat which increases the patient s risk of future heart attack and stroke. For women the percentage is slightly higher. Even for the other 95% of heart patients, though, repeated heart attack after surgery is always a risk.

Other risk factors that can lead to heart attack after surgery include blood vessel disease or ischemia, a reduction in blood flow to the heart which can be detected with an EKG. Infection, which can sometimes be spread in hospitals, might cause heart attack in those already at risk. Sometimes the surgery itself can put stress on the heart which increases the likelihood of heart attack after surgery for those already at risks. So what are some steps you can take to improve your chances?

Medications

A recent study shows that the incidence of heart attack after surgery, specifically for heart surgery, is decreased in patients who take statins, popular cholesterol lowering drugs, before surgery. Other medications that may be given to patients to help prevent heart attack after surgery include beta blockers, which reduce the heart s workload, and ACE Inhibitors, which are used to help prevent heart failure.

Diet

After any kind of a heart incident, it is necessary to severely limit fat, especially saturated fat, and sodium intake. Most doctors will suggest keeping fat to below 20% of your daily caloric intake and completely eliminating all added salt from food.

Another dietary change which could help prevent heart attack after surgery is increasing intake of antioxidants. Antioxidants are found in high concentrations in brightly colored fresh fruits and vegetables, in tea, and in red wine. (Always check with your doctor before consuming alcohol after surgery.) These compounds may improve healing, reduce inflammation and help prevent recurrence of heart attack.

Exercise

Recurrence of heart attack after surgery is much less common in patients who exercised regularly prior to surgery. Even after surgery, a carefully supervised exercise plan can help speed recovery by gradually strengthening the heart and thus can help to prevent a future heart attack. Doctors and physical therapists can develop an appropriate exercise plan for cardiac rehabilitation.