Preventing a second heart attack

Films are notoriously unrealistic about how heart attacks play out. Researchers from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania found that in 12 movie scenes involving out-of-hospital cardiac arrest, 67% of the characters survived.

In real life, fewer than 10% do

(it goes up to around 29% when EMT or passersby administer life-saving techniques). As for second heart attacks, movies completely dodge them.

Unfortunately, lots of folks don’t dodge second heart attacks. About 20% who had a first one will be readmitted to the hospital for a second one within five years. So, listen up; there are five smart steps to slash your risk of recurrence.

1. Do cardiac rehab (usually three times weekly for three months). It reduces the risk of a second attack in the first two years by 47%. But fewer than 20% of folks who’ve had a first heart attack enroll in a cardiac rehab program. Be smart and go.

2. Take medicines as prescribed — a daily aspirin, for example, cuts your recurrence risk by 31%, and if you do have a second heart attack, the meds reduce the severity. Our motto: Take prescribed meds as if your life depended on it — it does.

3. Opt for a plant-based diet with fish and skinless poultry as side dishes.

4. Get support from a therapist, a support group, friends and family to protect yourself from post-heart-attack PTSD, depression and anxiety.

5. Contact your doc pronto if any symptoms, even minor or passing, return.