Lake Regional Health System | Thrive | Winter 2021

6 | Winter 2021 HEART HEALTH Y ou survived a heart attack. You are thankful for that –– but also concerned. “When people survive a heart attack, they usually want to know how they can prevent a second one,” says Muthu Krishnan, M.D., FACC, an interventional cardiologist at Lake Regional Heart and Vascular. “They want to learn how they can keep their heart healthy and avoid further problems.” Fortunately, there’s a lot you can do. Dr. Krishnan advises that you: Take your medicine as pre- scribed. 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 cal- endar or smartphone app to help you remember when to take them. Attend your follow-up medical appointments. These appointments help your health care team keep track of your recovery. Make each visit count by preparing a list of a heart attack Life after Learn steps for protecting your heart Muthu Krishnan, M.D., FACC