Surviving a Heart Attack: Insights from an Expert Cardiologist

  According to a recent study, over 17 lakh Indians die each year from heart disease, a figure that is expected to rise to 2.3 crore by 2030.

* Although the figure is frightening, it should be noted that not everyone suffering from heart disease has a 100% fatality rate.

* The survival percentage for those hospitalised for heart attacks ranges between 90% and 97%.2. This varies depending on the type of heart attack, the arteries affected, and other factors including age and gender.

Evolution in the Treatment

The number of people who survive a heart attack has risen dramatically in recent years, mainly to advances in therapy. However, it is critical to understand that surviving a heart attack can have a substantial impact on the long-term survival and well-being of these patients.
Today, advances in medical technology are attributed to a decrease in the number of deaths in absolute terms. Doctors are more efficiently diagnosing and treating less lethal heart attacks than in the past.

Furthermore, experiencing a heart attack increases their chance of subsequent cardiac events, a second attack, and a variety of other serious health concerns. It is not an unusual or uncommon finding in our therapeutic practice, and a recent study undertaken by the University of Leeds yielded comparable results.

The study examined a large dataset of over 145 million patient records spanning nine years to uncover frightening figures about heart attack survivors' increased propensity to acquiring health issues in the future. The study also found that around one-third of heart attack survivors are at risk of acquiring cardiac problems such as atrial fibrillation, peripheral artery disease, stroke, heart failure, renal failure, type 2 diabetes, bleeding disorders, and depression. Furthermore, the study revealed a disturbing pattern in which heart attack survivors are at a persistent and higher risk of developing a variety of other health disorders compared to those who have not had a heart attack.

"The risk of developing cardiac or other complications after a heart attack is also determined by other factors such as the timeliness of treatment and the presence of pre-existing risk factors that further influence this risk," says Dr. Rockey Katheria, Consultant, Interventional Cardiology, Manipal Hospital, Varthur Road, Bengaluru.

Individuals who do not seek timely treatment, either by ignoring the symptoms or mistaking them for other non-serious health conditions with similar symptoms (for example, gastritis or reflux symptoms), or by not having access to standard healthcare, are especially vulnerable, as the damage to the heart muscle may be more extensive, increasing the likelihood of future cardiac events.

“Additionally, individuals with a family history of heart disease, diabetes, hypertension, high cholesterol, obesity, and unhealthy lifestyle habits face an even greater risk," Dr. Rockey Katheria, a cardiac surgeon, explains.

In terms of prognosis, patients should understand that the risk of another cardiac event is highest in the first year after a heart attack and steadily decreases in subsequent years. It's also important to understand that proactive health management can dramatically minimise the risk of cardiac and other issues following a heart attack. It includes regular check-ups with healthcare experts to monitor and control risk factors including blood sugar and cholesterol levels, as well as lifestyle changes like regular exercise and a nutritious diet.To summarise, surviving a heart attack is a wake-up call to pursue preventative health care.

“The path to recovery from a heart attack may be difficult.
Proactively managing risk factors and adopting a heart-healthy lifestyle, individuals can navigate life after a heart attack with confidence and resilience,” says the doctor.