Exercise after a heart attack: Is it safe? What are the benefits?

The person can have a normal life after a stenting or any other procedure provided that the pumping efficiency of the heart is good. We normally allow for early evaluations that are within a week of angioplasty or other procedures. The person can resume all normal activities like swimming, sports, and brisk walking. Patients undergoing this process must understand that certain medications will be lifelong to prevent future problems.

Of course, one has to look at the pumping efficiency of the heart and ensure it is not compromised by other co-morbidities. Every patient must, therefore, go through a cardiac rehabilitation programme in conjunction with a physician. Before signing up for any cardio exercise programme, your doctor will do a stress test, TMT, echocardiogram, and put you on a graded activity pattern. Make sure to follow his advisory before embarking on any activity.

Also, do not attempt to do something which you have not done before, just because you have decided to build a fitness regime for yourself. You can hike and trek if you have been doing them before and your body is used to that grind. Do not attempt to do these suddenly if you have not done them before. While we encourage patients to be as normal as possible, everything will be guided by the heart-pumping efficiency and efforts should be geared towards improving that in the first place. When you go through a cardiac rehab programme, you can assess yourself on the exertion scale, where you will yourself know what activity limit works for you, going by your breathing pattern and ease of talking. You may be a little short of breath but should you have discomfort like chest tightness, dizziness, palpitations and shortness of breath, seek medical help immediately rather than pushing your threshold.

The easiest way to start for patients, who have never signed up for an exercise programme, is gentle walking. Do what you can manage and makes you feel good. Then as you begin to settle into the rhythm, increase the time and speed. Set a goal for exercising 15–20 minutes at a time by four to six weeks after your cardiac event and resuming cardiac rehabilitation sessions.

If you want to go back to playing sports like tennis and so on, seek the advice of a doctor, take the test and begin only after your body and heart are accustomed to an exercise regime. If you have been used to a gym routine, most cardiac rehabilitation centres have fully equipped gyms and doctors who lead you through customised support regimes. This is also a great confidence-building measure. Many may think they do not need cardiac rehab but this is a guided, safe way to get patients back to their full body potential and set goals for a healthy and active life.

Angioplasty with stenting is essentially a minimally invasive procedure where the blockage is cleared and a small metal tube drug is inserted. This procedure is generally safe. However, it does not ensure that there will be no problem thereafter. Hence meticulous attention is needed throughout. Stenting has become a common procedure. However, one must understand that after stent implantation, there are certain rules to be followed so that the person doesn’t get a repeat heart attack or any other serious problem.

Following lifestyle changes are also important:

– Quit smoking, smoking is disastrous and destroys the lining of vessels
– Regular medication which includes blood thinner, statin, and some other medicines. The SDL- C levels should be as low as possible (maybe less than 70, some less than 50)
– Follow a healthy diet rich in fruit and vegetables
– Have a good exercise schedule, maintain ideal body weight, and limit alcohol intake. This precaution helps reduce the chances of a repeat heart attack.