Afraid to exercise after a heart attack? It's probably more scary if you do not do it

Exercise is good for you. But for people who have had a heart attack, starting or resuming a workout routine can seem scary, exhausting, complicated – in short, the last thing they would want to do. Instead, he should probably be one of the first.

"We are trying to point out that exercise is also part of the standard of care that aspirin, statins, or beta-blockers," said cardiologist Benjamin D. Levine, director of the Institute. of exercise and environmental medicine. Professor of Medicine and Cardiology at the UT Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas.

This has not always been the case, said Kate Traynor, director of the Cardiac Rehabilitation Program at the Corrigan Minehan Heart Center at Mbadachusetts General Hospital.

"When I was a nurse in the 1970s, I remember that they kept people in bed after a heart attack," said Traynor, also president of the American Association of Cardiovascular Rehabilitation and pulmonary. Now, she says, patients are walking around shortly after the surgery.

Research abounds on the benefits. A recent Swedish study found that survivors of a heart attack identified as "constantly active" had a 71% lower risk of death than "inactive" participants. A research review conducted in 2017 found that heart attack survivors who benefit from cardiac rehab were 53% less likely to die from any cause whatsoever and 57% fewer deaths related to a cardiac cause that survivors have not benefited from a cardiac rehab.

"Exercise preserves the strength and flexibility of the heart and allows the blood vessels to relax," said Levine. "It helps to improve lipids and blood pressure and reduces cardiovascular tension during daily activities."

One of the major keys to reap the benefits of exercise is to incorporate it into a life habit.

"Sometimes people have an epiphany after a heart attack and that makes it easier for them to live in their lifestyle," Traynor said. "But many people after a heart attack are just not ready yet."

Maybe they are depressed or afraid to make changes, experts say.

"What I think is that people are scared after a heart attack and that they do not know what they are capable of doing, whether it's a leisure exercise, an exercise professional or even a badual relationship, "said Levine.

That's where heart rehabilitation can help, he said.

"Anyone who suffers a heart attack should go through a period of cardiac rehabilitation, which will help them overcome their initial fear and control all risk factors as part of a multidisciplinary approach after a cardiovascular event. "

In cardiac rehabilitation, cardiologists, cardiology nurses, physiotherapists, exercise specialists, mental health counselors and nutritionists unite to support each patient. And so, says Traynor, reduce the risk of a new heart attack.

Starting small leads to achievable goals, she said. "We help them to be successful on the treadmill or on the bike and to feel good" OK, maybe there is more than that. "It becomes more self-fulfilling and keeps them going."

Unfortunately, only about one-third of heart attack survivors report having benefited from cardiac rehab, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention.

In Dallas, Parkland Health & Hospital System Cardiac Rehabilitation Clinic recently added High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) – a brief activity with short rest periods – for patients with selected heart disease. According to some studies, with HIIT, 15-minute sessions can be as effective as 60 minutes of a less intense workout.

HIIT helped Jesus Rodrigo Sanchez, a patient from Parkland, feel better and believe in himself. Aged 60 and with a family history of heart disease, he underwent a bypbad surgery in December.

"It was difficult at first," said Sanchez, who bought an elliptical machine to use at home, "but the rehabilitation staff promised not to give anything you could not do, I did not think I could do, but now I'm walking 2.8 km / h at the grade 4 slope. "

For patients whose doctor has not recommended cardiac rehabilitation, Levine suggests asking for a referral. "Exercise is really important to facilitate a return to a normal life."

The American Heart Association News covers the health of the heart and brain. All opinions expressed in this story do not reflect the official position of the American Heart Association. Copyright is the property of the American Heart Association, Inc., and all rights are reserved. If you have any questions or comments about this story, please email [email protected].