After recovering from an MI, it is natural to wonder if there are any 'dos and don'ts'. In the past, well-meaning but bad advice to "rest and take it easy from now on" caused some people to become over-anxious about their hearts. Some people gave up their jobs, hobbies, and any activity that caused exertion for fear of 'straining the heart'.

However, quite the opposite is true for most people who recover from an MI. Regular exercise and getting back to normal work and life is usually advised. Much can be done to reduce the risk of a further MI.

Can myocardial infarction be prevented?

Everybody has a risk of developing atheroma which can lead to an MI. However, certain 'risk factors' increase the risk and include:

• Preventable or treatable risk factors:
• smoking
• hypertension (high blood pressure)
• high cholesterol level
• lack of exercise
• a poor diet
• obesity
• excess alcohol
• Having diabetes. But if you have diabetes, the increased risk of heart disease is minimised by good control of the blood sugar level, and reducing blood pressure if it is high.
• Risk factors that are fixed and you cannot change:
• a family history of heart disease or a stroke that occurred in a father or brother aged below 55, or in a mother or sister aged below 65.
• being male.
• ethnic group (for example, British Asians have an increased risk).

Briefly, if you can reduce any risk factors, it reduces your risk of having an MI (or of having a further MI if you have already had one). Some risk factors are fixed and you cannot change them. However, if you have a fixed risk factor, you may want to make extra effort to reduce preventable risk factors such as smoking or lack of exercise.

Further sources of information and help

British Heart Foundation 14 Fitzhardinge Street, London, W1H 4DH Heart Information Line: 0845 070 8070 (Mon-Fri 9am-5pm) Web: www.bhf.org.uk

© EMIS and PIP 2006 Updated: February 2006 PRODIGY Validated

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