Your Heart Risk Action Plan

A heart risk action plan can help reduce your risk of a future heart attack. It includes making lifestyle changes and getting treatment for your risk factors.

Think about joining a cardiac rehab (rehabilitation) program. Cardiac rehab is medically supervised, and it's designed by your health care team to meet your unique needs. It may be started while you're still in the hospital or soon after you go home. It's usually an outpatient program. This means you'll go to appointments and don't have to be in the hospital to participate. It may help you recover from your heart problem, and it may reduce your risk of future heart problems. A cardiac rehab program teaches you how to manage risk factors and how to make lasting lifestyle changes.

Smoking

• Set a quit date in the next month.

• Ask your health care provider about quit-smoking programs and medicines to help with withdrawal symptoms and cravings. Be sure to read and follow the directions that come with the medicines and follow any directions your doctor gives you.

• Avoid secondhand smoke.

• Join a cardiac rehab program.

High cholesterol

• Take medicines to lower cholesterol as directed.

• Choose heart-healthy foods low in saturated fat and cholesterol. Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables.

• Your health care provider may recommend physical activity. Try for at least 30 minutes on most days of the week, or as recommended by your provider.

• Your provider will work with you to lose weight and lower your body mass index (BMI), if needed. Consult a registered dietitian about portion sizes, total calorie recommendations, and ways to change eating habits.

High blood pressure

• Take blood pressure medicines as directed.

• Reduce your salt (sodium) intake to 1,500 milligrams (mg) per day, or as directed. (One teaspoon of table salt is about 2,300 mg sodium.) Ask your health care provider about following the DASH diet. DASH stands for Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension. It's a balanced eating program that has been shown to lower blood pressure.

• Your provider may recommend physical activity. Try for at least 30 minutes on most days of the week, or as advised by your provider.

• Your provider will work with you to lose weight and lower your BMI, if needed.

Being overweight

• Your health care provider will give you information on dietary changes that you may need to make, based on your case. Your provider may advise that you see a registered dietitian for help with diet changes.

• Your provider may recommend physical activity. Try for at least 30 minutes on most days of the week, or as advised by your provider.

• Use a log to track your eating and activity habits.

• Join a cardiac rehab program.

Diabetes

• Take diabetes medicines or insulin as instructed.

• Test blood sugar as directed.

• Your health care provider may recommend physical activity. Try for at least 30 minutes on most days of the week, or as advised by your provider.

• Your provider will work with you to lose weight and lower your BMI, if needed.

• Take a diabetes education class.

Stress, anger, and depression

• Stay in touch with family and friends.

• Think about starting professional counseling or joining a support group, especially if your symptoms don't go away.

• Your health care provider may recommend physical activity. Try for at least 30 minutes on most days of the week, or as advised by your provider.

• Join a cardiac rehab program.

Lack of exercise

• Work with a health care provider to create an exercise program.

• Join a cardiac rehab program.

• If your provider says it's okay, try for at least 30 minutes of exercise on most days of the week. For many people, walking is a good choice.

How to make changes

• Encourage family members and friends to make changes with you. This supports you. And it benefits them, as well.

• Don’t try too much too soon. Get comfortable with one change before tackling another.

• If you’re discouraged, focus on how good you’ll feel once you’ve made a change.

• Reward yourself when you’ve made a heart-healthy lifestyle change.

• Join a cardiac rehab program.

• Speak with your health care provider about behavioral counseling, if needed.