Can you exercise after a Heart Attack?
Did you know that a patient, who has suffered an episode of heart attack (myocardial infarction, angina, etc.) but is not operated, needs to be more careful and vigilant than a patient who has undergone a heart surgery?
What happens to your heart after a heart attack?
Our heart is mainly made of special muscle called myocardium. The heart supplies blood to the entire body via arteries. Like any other muscle, the heart muscles too need blood supply, which they get via the coronary arteries (blood vessels of the heart). After a heart attack, these coronary arteries, the heart muscles & other vital structures, partially or completely, may lose their natural elasticity forever.
How does one know if they are fit to exercise after suffering a heart attack?
Any person with a history of a cardiac event should first undergo a complete and thorough examination before starting any exercise program. . Done that, there may still be a group of people for whom exercise may not be recommended. For e.g. Patients with conditions like unstable angina, severe heart valve problems, uncontrolled cardiac rhythm abnormalities, or other medical conditions that can be aggravated by exercise. Once the person is put on an exercise program, a re-evaluation is done every two to three months regularly as indicated, by his/her cardiologist.
When is the right time to start physical exercise?
We, as health professionals, always try to negate the ill effects of continuous bed rest for our patients. Therefore it is essential that the patient starts with some slow yet simple physical activity after anywhere between 2nd day to 1st week (this may vary due to various factors) of the incident – may it be a heart attack, a bypass surgery or angioplasty. After doctor’s consent, it is highly recommended that the patient should begin with a cardiac rehabilitation program with telemetry monitoring (constant monitoring of one’s heart beat using a portable device). One can start with slow walks & gradually increase the distance and speed depending upon how they are responding. An alternate method to start gradual body movement after a cardiac event is to start movements in the shoulder joint and hands. Simple clock and Subjective Cardiac Rehabilitation programs are typically tailored for such patients by their health professionals.
Which exercises are recommended?
Increasing one’s cardiovascular endurance and ‘conditioning’ of the heart remain of vital importance. Exercises such as walking, swimming, bicycling, jogging, aerobics etc. are the best kind of activities. Strength training with light weights like dumbbells or therabands can also be initiated but only with the consent of the medical team and patient monitoring.
Diet Matters:
Control your portion size, eat more vegetables and fruits, select whole grains, limit unhealthy fats and cholesterol, choose low-fat protein sources, reduce the sodium in your food and plan ahead:
l Be vigilant for signs like chest pain, dizziness and palpitations.
l Always warm-up before and cool-down after exercising, for the first 5 and last 5 minutes of any exercise program.
l High-intensity exercise may give rise to complications, especially in patients who already had an episode of heart attack.
l Patients with heart surgery should avoid resistive exercises, as it may cause pressure on the stitches within 3 months of surgery.
Dr Sadiya Vanjara (PT) Head of Physiotherapy Dept, Noor Hospital. www.sadiyavanjara.com
