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What Is The Life Expectancy Of Someone With Myocardial Infarction?
Question: My husband had a mild MI on 5/25. They placed a stent, adding to the 3 he has. He says he feels great, more energy, and went back to work in less than a week. He says if he takes his statins and plavix he does not need to change his lifestyle. He is not overweight, 5'7" 137 lbs. He will not stop eating fatty foods, and he is still smoking. I told him I will help him all I can, but will not argue with him for the rest of my life. He will have another MI, of that I am sure. What are his chances of surviving? Maybe if he sees his possible prognosis in print, he may pause and reconsider his choices.
Brief Answer:
Discussion follows
Detailed Answer:
Hello,
Welcome and thanks for your query.
I appreciate your concern for your husband.
Cardiovascular disease which resulted in his MI is a progressive illness and I agree with you that it is very much affected by life style. Depending on his health conditions and the life style there are web sites that calculate his risk of another MI and how changes in life style affect the risk. There is also a notional 'heart age' which would be the age of his heart under the present circumstances.
Stopping smoking would reduce his risk of a heart attack by 6% and reduce his heart age by 4 years. This is likely to improve his longevity by 4 years.
So without giving him too much stress, he may be counseled to stop smoking which is the worst thing that a person with a heart disease can do, that would affect his longevity.
You can tackle the fatty food later as long as his LDL cholesterol is below 70 mg/dl and the Total Cholesterol to HDL ratio is less than 4. Avoid deep fried foods and trans fatty acid rich food like confectionary.
Do get back to me if you have further queries.
Discussion follows
Detailed Answer:
Hello,
Welcome and thanks for your query.
I appreciate your concern for your husband.
Cardiovascular disease which resulted in his MI is a progressive illness and I agree with you that it is very much affected by life style. Depending on his health conditions and the life style there are web sites that calculate his risk of another MI and how changes in life style affect the risk. There is also a notional 'heart age' which would be the age of his heart under the present circumstances.
Stopping smoking would reduce his risk of a heart attack by 6% and reduce his heart age by 4 years. This is likely to improve his longevity by 4 years.
So without giving him too much stress, he may be counseled to stop smoking which is the worst thing that a person with a heart disease can do, that would affect his longevity.
You can tackle the fatty food later as long as his LDL cholesterol is below 70 mg/dl and the Total Cholesterol to HDL ratio is less than 4. Avoid deep fried foods and trans fatty acid rich food like confectionary.
Do get back to me if you have further queries.
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Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Answered by
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