The heart recovery book

This is a goldmine of information on how to recover after heart attack, heart disease or stroke, from leaving hospital through the first year of recovery. Supportive and practical, it covers rehabilitation comprehensively, from the smallest details, such as post-surgical symptoms and how to breathe without hurting your wound, to the wider aspects of lifestyle management, such as overcoming stress and conquering habits that may have contributed to heart disease. Topics covered include: taking medication and seeing your doctor again; practical issues such as work, driving, holidays; coping with emotions and stress; detailed exercises and safety tips; diaphragmatic breathing techniques and relaxation exercises; how to give up smoking and drinking; healthy eating habits; and step-by-step rehabilitation programme. One person every two minutes suffers a heart attack - that's 270,000 heart attacks every year - while 2.7 million people live with coronary heart disease in the UK. Approximately 300,000 heart operations are performed every year in the UK, while more than one million are on waiting lists for hospital treatment. However, coronary rehabilitation is a neglected area. According to the British Heart Foundation, only a third of patients discharged after a heart attack or coronary surgery currently receive rehabilitation, as opposed to the 85 per cent target set by the National Service Framework.