8 Memorial Medical Milestones • Winter 2023 Keeping your heart in check after a heart attack Advice from the experts You survived a heart attack. That’s news you can embrace. But the big question on your mind is, “What now?” How can you help keep your heart healthy and avoid further problems like another attack? Fortunately, there’s a lot you can do. Local heart and vascular experts share their advice: Christopher Thompson, MD Cardiologist Take your medicine as prescribed. It’s not unusual for people who have had a heart attack to be on multiple medicines. Each one of them helps your heart in a different way, so it’s important that you take them exactly as your doctor prescribes. You may be on medicines to: • Prevent blood clots • Lower your cholesterol • Lower your blood pressure • Prevent a second heart attack • Reduce episodes of chest pain If you’re having trouble managing all your medicines, use a daily or weekly pillbox to organize them. Use a calendar or smartphone app to help you remember when to take them. J. King White, MD Cardiologist Cardiac rehab is a medically supervised program to help patients get back to the best possible heart health following a heart disease diagnosis, heart attack or cardiovascular surgery. In the program, you’ll learn how to exercise safely, eat a hearthealthy diet and manage stress.
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