Heart Attack Survivors and Episodic Chest Pain

by Aimee Amodio | More from this Blogger

12 Sep 2008 01:13 PM

A study from the University of Colorado and the Denver Veterans Affairs Medical Center took a look at angina -- episodic chest pain -- in heart attack survivors. Bad enough to suffer a heart attack, but to have to live with weekly or daily chest pain, too? It happens more often than you might think.

Nearly two thousand heart attack survivors participated in the study. Approximately twenty percent of the participants reported some kind of chest pain one year after the heart attack. That's one out of every five heart attack survivors!

• One percent of patients reported daily chest pain.
• Three percent of patients reported weekly chest pain.
• More than fifteen percent of patients reported chest pain that occurred less than once per week.

The patients who experienced episodic chest pain were likely to be younger males who had undergone bypass surgery. They were also likely to have suffered recurring chest pain while in the hospital for heart attack. Unfortunately, many of the study participants who reported continuing chest pain were smokers. Study participants who reported continuing chest pain also were more likely to experience persistent symptoms of depression and need surgery to improve blood flow to the heart after hospitalization.

The study authors hope that these results will encourage a change in how heart attack patients are monitored. Certain factors -- like age, demographic, inpatient issues, and lifestyle choices -- will hopefully stand out like a beacon to health care professionals, pointing out individuals who are at risk for ongoing chest pain after a heart attack. Researchers also plan to investigate the impact of quitting smoking and treating depression on patients with angina.

The bottom line? Knowing that someone is at risk for episodic chest pain after a heart attack can help alleviate or prevent the problem. Ultimately, heart attack survivors could look forward to a better quality of life -- without angina.

Learn more about Aimee Amodio

Aimee is a fiction writer... dog lover... music lover...

View Full Profile | More from this Blogger

Samual (11722) 12 Sep 2008 01:18 PM

My father in law has had two major heart attacks, he sometimes gets shooting pains that take his breath away.

Aimee Amodio (11995) 12 Sep 2008 01:33 PM

That would probably scare the stuffing out of me... and send me running for the doctor/emergency room/phone to call 911! I hope they don't hit TOO often...

Samual (11722) 12 Sep 2008 02:21 PM

He has fairly recently had a double heart bypass, so he gets them alot at the moment, before that though he used to get them as well. The only reason there isn't a panick is because he knows what they feel like, so he knows when it is ok and when its not.

brate (10) 14 Jun 2009 10:49 PM

A very informative post detailing about all the consequences of heart attack. This is the most serious issue that can save lot of lives during the heart attack of cardiac arrest. In the cases of heart attack and cardiac arrest, or any other heart shocks, time sets to be the most crucial factor for the survival of the patient. Keith Churchwell has extraordinarily explained the pros and cons while handling patient suffering immediate heart attack or cardiac arrest in www.wellsphere.com/complementary-alternative-medicine-article/heart-attack-or-cardiac-arrest/610913. The response a person takes to treat a victim decides the probability of his/her survival. It's been my personal experience fighting to survive against a heart attack. A quick recognization of your bodily responses may increase your chances of survival. Because of having many heart problems, I was enrolled in a concierge Healthcare program from elite health. I was attacked by a severe heart attack in a party, luckily surrounded by many people. Some of the sudden changes in my body was recognized by me and anticipated immediately. I got a very severe chest pain which was almost unbearable for more than a minute. I got the suspicion that I might be having heart attack, and immediately called my physician on the phone, and explained my condition and its severity. Because of the immediate guidance, I was directed immediately to have an aspirin which I used to carry with me as prescribed by my physician. It was quite a frightening experience for me to face such a heart attack, but somehow I managed to be calm until 911 arrived. I was immediately taken to the nearest hospital, where already my physician were present and have got everything setup according to my medical history. And it was in some matter of seconds that everything was in control. A doctor, who already have the complete knowledge of the medical history and fitness of the person, extra ordinarily ameliorate your recovery process. Hence such a concierge level program from Elite health, helped me a save my life, like many others.