Version July 2025
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What are discharge instructions? —
Discharge instructions are information about how to take care of yourself after getting medical care for a health problem.
What is a heart attack? —
A heart attack when 1 of the arteries that supply blood to the heart gets blocked or partly blocked. Most of the time, this happens when fatty deposits called "plaques" form inside the arteries. These plaques can break open and cause blood clots to form (figure 1). This keeps blood from reaching parts of the heart muscle.
A heart attack is also called a "myocardial infarction" ("MI").
How do I care for myself at home? —
Ask the doctor or nurse what you should do when you go home. Make sure that you understand exactly what you need to do to care for yourself. Ask questions if there is anything you do not understand.
You should also:
●Take all of your medicines as instructed:
•The medicines you take depend on your heart condition and how your heart attack was treated. Some heart medicines help prevent chest pain and other heart symptoms. Other heart medicines help prevent future heart attacks and help you live longer.
•To prevent another heart attack, you probably need to take aspirin, another medicine similar to aspirin, a medicine called a "beta blocker," and a cholesterol-lowering medicine.
•If you have high blood pressure, high cholesterol, or diabetes (high blood sugar), your doctor will likely prescribe medicines to treat those conditions. Having untreated high blood pressure, high cholesterol, or diabetes can increase your chance of having another heart attack.
•Tell your doctor or nurse if you have any side effects or problems with your medicines. You should also tell them if you can't afford your medicines. There are often ways to solve these problems.
•Your doctor might also tell you to avoid certain medicines, like nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs ("NSAIDs"). NSAIDs include ibuprofen (sample brand names: Advil, Motrin) and naproxen (sample brand name: Aleve).
●Check with your doctor about when it is safe to start having sex again – After a heart attack, sex might be more exercise than your doctor recommends. The timing depends on the size of your heart attack, if you had problems after, and if you still have symptoms.
After a heart attack, some people are less interested in sex or do not enjoy sex as much. This can be a side effect of certain heart medicines. It can also happen if you are sad or worried about having a heart attack during sex. If you have problems with sex, tell your doctor or nurse. They might be able to treat those problems.
●Wait to return to driving and work – Check with your doctor about when it is safe for you to return. Most people can drive again 1 week after their heart attack. Many people can return to work within 2 weeks of having a heart attack.
What follow-up care is needed? —
The doctor will want to see you again after you leave the hospital to check on your progress. Go to these appointments.
Once you have recovered from your heart attack, your doctor will make a treatment plan with you. The goals of the plan are to:
●Prevent another heart attack
●Lower your chance of dying prematurely from heart disease
●Help you feel better and have more energy
What is cardiac rehab? —
Your doctor might recommend something called "cardiac rehabilitation," or "cardiac rehab." There, doctors, nurses, and other health professionals teach you how to keep your heart healthy. They will help you:
●Exercise safely – Getting regular exercise can keep your heart healthy. Your doctor or nurse will work with you to make a safe exercise program. They will tell you how often and how hard to exercise.
●Improve your diet – Eating the right foods can help keep your heart healthy. Fruits, vegetables, and foods with fiber can help prevent heart disease and strokes (figure 2). Try to avoid eating foods that can make heart disease worse. These include "trans" fats, which are found in many fast foods. "Saturated" fats, which are found in red meats and many cheeses, can also worsen heart disease. Eating a healthy diet also means limiting white sugar.
●Lose weight, if you have excess body weight – This lowers your chance of having another heart attack.
●Quit smoking, if you smoke – This can lower your chance of getting or dying from heart disease. To quit, you can try nicotine patches, gums, or nasal sprays. (Nicotine is the main drug in cigarettes.) You can also try a prescription medicine to help stop cigarette cravings. If you are having trouble quitting, your doctor or nurse can help.
●Cope with feeling sad or worried – Many people feel sad or worried after a heart attack. Your doctor, nurse, or counselor can help you with these feelings and, if needed, treat your depression.
●Reduce stress – Stress can worsen heart disease.
If you do not go to cardiac rehab, your doctor or nurse can talk to you about these things.
When should I call the doctor? —
People who have a heart attack have a higher-than-normal chance of having another one and other heart problems.
Call for emergency help right away (in the US and Canada, call 9-1-1) if you think that you might be having a heart attack.
Symptoms might include:
●Severe chest pain, pressure, or discomfort with:
•Breathing trouble, sweating, upset stomach, or cold and clammy skin
•Pain in your arms, back, or jaw
•Worse pain with activity like walking up stairs
●Fast or irregular heartbeat
●Feeling dizzy, faint, or weak
Patient education: Heart attack (The Basics)
Patient education: Medicines after a heart attack (The Basics)
Patient education: What can go wrong after a heart attack? (The Basics)
Patient education: Chest pain (The Basics)
Patient education: Coronary artery disease (The Basics)
Patient education: Exercise and movement (The Basics)
Patient education: Diet and health (The Basics)
Patient education: Mediterranean diet (The Basics)
Patient education: High blood pressure in adults (The Basics)
Patient education: High cholesterol (The Basics)
Patient education: Quitting smoking for adults (The Basics)
Patient education: Troponin test (The Basics)
Patient education: Heart attack recovery (Beyond the Basics)
Patient education: Heart attack (Beyond the Basics)
Patient education: Aspirin in the primary prevention of cardiovascular disease and cancer (Beyond the Basics)
Patient education: High cholesterol and lipids (Beyond the Basics)
Patient education: Quitting smoking (Beyond the Basics)
Patient education: High blood pressure treatment in adults (Beyond the Basics)
