MI survivors don’t maintain lifestyle choices long term

THE VAST majority of patients who survive a myocardial infarction (MI) underestimate their risk of a second cardiac event, a survey has found.

THE VAST majority of patients who survive a myocardial infarction (MI) underestimate their risk of a second cardiac event, a survey has found.

The online survey of 300 Australian adults hospitalised for MI in the past five years found 38% either stopped taking prescribed antiplatelet medication or changed the dose without consulting their GP.

Some 44% of respondents expressed concern about the drugs and half did not know how they worked.

The survey, conducted for Heart Support-Australia (which is sponsored by Eli Lilly), also found that while 85% of patients made lifestyle changes, such as improving diet and physical activity or quitting smoking, a quarter did not persist with the changes beyond three months.

"A substantial number of people think that their heart attack is a one-off thing," said  Perth cardiologist Associate Professor Paul Langton.

"They think once their heart attack is over, they can go on their way and they don't seem to understand that they have an underlying blood vessel problem and they remain at high risk."

The survey found that 40% of patients did not attend cardiac rehabilitation.

"One of the reasons we want cardiac patients to go back and see their GP regularly is to have that ongoing reinforcement of messages about medication and about lifestyle," Professor Langton said.

With around 40% of cardiac patients being smokers, post-hospital care often included a referral to the Quit program, but many patients give up trying to stop smoking.

"With ongoing GP visits, they can be encouraged to... at least cut down, which goes some way to reducing the risk of a second cardiac event," he said.