Tips for People Newly Diagnosed with Heart Disease

Education

Heart disease is a term that serves as an umbrella for a diverse array of problems affecting the heart, including heart failure, coronary disease, and valve disease. Some heart problems can be congenital, that is, present from birth. Others develop later, and are more directly linked to lifestyle issues. Educating yourself is the first step in understanding your particular diagnosis.

“One of the first things I address,” Dr. Krasuski says, “is what’s going on specifically that makes [the patient’s] heart different from what the normal is. Then, we can talk about what causes it, how we plan to treat it, and what the prognosis is going to be.” You should feel comfortable asking questions and discussing concerns with your physicians, as well as taking a look at what lifestyle factors may have contributed to your condition.

Self-Evaluation

Whether someone has heart problems from birth or develops them later, all cardiac patients should examine the role they play in making healthful lifestyle decisions. This process of self-evaluation might be difficult; perhaps you find yourself thinking, “If only I hadn’t started smoking,” or, “I should have taken more time to exercise,” but it is vital in order to set up good lifestyle habits from the day of diagnosis onward.

“Once, as a patient, you recognize your problems,” says Dr. Krasuski, “you can ask, ‘What can I do for me to avoid problems in the future?’” Diet, exercise and smoking impact heart health. A heart healthy diet is low in fat and cholesterol. Watching salt intake is important, too, especially when eating out. “Often, restaurant menus will list ‘heart-healthy’ foods, but that doesn’t always mean they have low salt,” he says. “Exercise is very important, too, but it’s not easy,” says Dr. Krasuski. “It’s a challenge for all of us. But, the effort you put in will equal the benefit you get back.” The type of exercise each person does varies, depending on an individual’s abilities and goals. Doctors, cardiac rehab specialists, and physical therapists are excellent resources for guidance on this. “There are people who are quite limited in what they can do,” Dr. Krasuski explains.

“You have to adapt the program to the patient. But, every time we do an exercise/heart study, we find exercise is beneficial.” Last but not least, “If you smoke, you need to stop,” says Dr. Krasuski. “Smoking is just bad, it doesn’t matter which form of heart disease you have.”

Encouragement

Besides working closely with physicians, family and friends play a big role in fostering and supporting a patient’s heart health. “Patients who have strong social support networks do better than those who don’t have that social support,” says Dr. Krasuski. “It’s a critical part of the whole process.” Some practical ways to support include attending a doctor’s appointment with the patient, or joining him or her in lifestyle modifications such as smoking cessation or exercise. “When we take a patient through cardiac rehab,” adds Dr. Krasuski, “we encourage their significant other to go through it, too. It’s important, because it improves the chances that the person will make the [necessary lifestyle] changes, and the loved one will realize how important it is.”