Many survivors fail to avoid another heart attack

SCRIPPS HOWARD
A NEW ONLINE SURVEY OF HEART-ATTACK SURVIVORS FINDS THAT, DESPITE THEIR "WAKE-UP CALL," NEARLY HALF ADMIT THEY ARE NOT DOING EVERYTHING THEY CAN TO AVOID A SECOND ATTACK.
EACH YEAR IN THE UNITED STATES, NEARLY 1 MILLION PEOPLE SUFFER FROM HEART ATTACKS, WHICH OCCUR WHEN THE BLOOD SUPPLY TO PART OF THE HEART MUSCLE IS SEVERELY REDUCED OR BLOCKED. WITHIN SIX YEARS OF A HEART ATTACK, NEARLY 20 PERCENT OF MEN AND 35 PERCENT OF WOMEN WILL HAVE ANOTHER HEART ATTACK, AND WITHIN THE FIRST YEAR OF A HEART ATTACK, 25 PERCENT OF MEN AND 38 PERCENT OF WOMEN WILL DIE FROM ANOTHER ONE.
HEART-ATTACK RISK RISES DURING THE FALL AND WINTER, WITH DECEMBER BEING THE PEAK MONTH FOR NEW DIAGNOSIS.
HARRIS INTERACTIVE DID THE SURVEY OF 518 PEOPLE 18 AND OLDER WHO HAD SURVIVED AT LEAST ONE HEART ATTACK FOR A HEART-ATTACK-SURVIVOR ADVOCACY GROUP CALLED MENDED HEARTS, AFFILIATED WITH THE AMERICAN HEART ASSOCIATION. THE RESULTS WERE ADJUSTED TO BE REPRESENTATIVE OF THE POPULATION OF ADULTS WHO HAVE BEEN DIAGNOSED WITH A HEART ATTACK.
"I WAS PARTICULARLY SURPRISED THAT THOSE SURVEYED INDICATED THEY FEAR ANOTHER HEART ATTACK MORE THAN DEATH, YET A SUBSTANTIAL NUMBER ARE NOT DOING EVERYTHING THEY CAN TO AVOID THAT FEAR FROM BEING REALIZED," SAID GUS LITTLEFIELD, A BOARD MEMBER OF THE SUPPORT GROUP.
NINETY PERCENT OF THE RESPONDENTS SAID THEIR HEART ATTACK HAD FORCED THEM TO FACE THEIR OWN MORTALITY, AND ALMOST THE SAME PERCENTAGE SAID THEY REALIZED THEY'RE AT INCREASED RISK FOR ANOTHER HEART ATTACK.
BUT 80 PERCENT SAID THEY NEEDED MORE INFORMATION TO MANAGE THEIR HEART HEALTH. "MY HOPE IS THAT THROUGH THE ONGOING EFFORTS OF MENDED HEARTS AND SOME NEW TOOLS, WE CAN EDUCATE PEOPLE ON HOW TO PREVENT A HEART ATTACK AND MOTIVATE THEM TO TAKE ACTION," LITTLEFIELD SAID.