Life Critical Illness Myocardial Infarction

Life Changes After Illness

There are very many critical illnesses that people face everyday in life. Among these critical illnesses is Myocardial Infarction which is commonly known as heart attack. This comes about due to an interruption of blood supply to some parts of the heart muscles that result to the death of the damage or death of heart cells. Symptoms of this illness are sudden chest pains, nausea, sweating, palpitations and shortness of breath. Often when an individual is diagnosed with Myocardial Infarction the news come as a shock to the person. When one becomes aware that they are suffering from Myocardial Infarction there are various changes that will occur in their lives. This paper will look at the life changes that occur after Myocardial Infarction.

Stressful life

Myocardial Infarction is life threatening, stressful and its onset is sudden, unanticipated and uncontrollable. This means that the life of a person who has been diagnosed with the illness will take a drastic change. The individual will live a stressful life as opposed to a more relaxed and free life that he lived before the diagnosis. This might lead to the development of complications and reoccurrence of cardiac events that might eventually lead to death. The life of the individuals will change as a result of the traumatic nature of the illness. Management of the stress levels can lead to safeguarding of the health of the heart.

Change in lifestyle patters

Diet changes

Myocardial Infarction brings about a change in an individuals lifestyle, this includes cholesterol intake. Myocardial Infarction is generally caused by the build up of a plaque from cholesterol. Nutritious diets can lead to blood pressure, cholesterol, body weight within ranges that are healthy. This means that an individual will reduce as much as possible their cholesterol intake. They will have to change their diets and ensure that what they eat has little or no cholesterol. Their diets will now have to be sensible with not fat intake at all. Physicians help in the identification of heart-healthy diets (Web Med, 2010).

Limited alcohol intake

A person diagnosed with Myocardial Infarction will have to change the quantity of alcohol they consume. They will be required to take little or no alcohol. This is because the intake of alcohol can lead to the occurrence of another attack. Therefore reducing the amount of alcohol that an individual consumes can lead to a decrease of the reoccurrence of another attack (American heart association, 2010).

Smoking cessation

After the diagnosis of Myocardial Infarction an individual is expected to drop their smoking habit. Smoking is one of the predisposing factors that lead to Myocardial Infarction and therefore reducing or completely abandoning the behavior will reduce the chances of another attack.

Exercise

After Myocardial Infarction one will have to exercise so that they can reduce their cholesterol levels in the body. Exercising is very important and anyone diagnosed with the illness will have to make exercise s part of their daily lives. Exercises have numerous benefits such as increased breathing, a decrease in the chest pain, decrease in fat, a decrease in the blood pressure, decreased cholesterol in the blood, and an improve protection of the heart against physical activity that is strenuous. Some of the exercises that are encouraged are aerobic training, flexibility and strength training.