CARING FOR A LOVED ONE AFTER A HEART ATTACK OR STROKE

Transcription

1 CARING FOR A LOVED ONE AFTER A HEART ATTACK OR STROKE

2 AFTER YOUR LOVED ONE HAS HAD A HEART ATTACK OR STROKE Heart attack and stroke affects the whole family. If your loved one has had a heart attack or stroke, you are probably worried. Your loved one is worried too probably more than he or she is letting on. There are steps you can take to help reduce their risk of having another event. Every year, more than 30 million people will have a heart attack or stroke 1 1 in 3 NEARLY WILL HAVE A SUBSEQUENT CARDIOVASCULAR EVENT. 2

3 CONSIDER THE URGENCY IN HIGH CHOLESTEROL What is cholesterol? You can t see or feel cholesterol, but it s there and could lead to an emergency. Cholesterol is a fatty substance in the blood. You need some cholesterol to be healthy, as it helps your body to generate new cell walls, hormones, vitamin D and bile acids. 3 However, too much can build up within your arteries, making them too narrow. This can lead to a cardiovascular health emergency. 4 It includes good and bad cholesterol, apart from other components The good cholesterol 3 The bad cholesterol 3 HDL LDL High-density lipoprotein (HDL) Low-density lipoprotein (LDL)

4 IS MY LOVED ONE STILL AT RISK? If your loved one s cholesterol levels are still high, despite use of statins or other traditional lipid-lowering therapies, they could be at high risk for another heart attack or stroke. 6 Cholesterol is one of the most critical risk factors for a heart attack or stroke lower cholesterol is better. 7,9 Seeing the emergency in high cholesterol can save your loved one from an emergency trip later. Don t wait, encourage your loved one to discuss their risk of heart attack or stroke with their doctor. NORMAL ARTERY WITH NORMAL BLOODFLOW PLAQUE FORMATION WITH CHOLESTEROL DEPOSIT AND REDUCED BLOODFLOW RUPTURED PLAQUE WITH OBSTRUCTED BLOODFLOW 4,5

5 WHAT CAN YOU DO TO HELP? You might be the only one who can get through to your loved one to help reduce their risk. Don t be afraid to get involved: Understand your loved one s cholesterol levels and treatment goals. Talk to his or her doctor about how the right combination of therapies can help reduce high levels of cholesterol and address the risk of heart attack or stroke.

6 MAKE A DIFFERENCE TODAY Encourage your loved one to do all they can to lower cholesterol following a heart attack or stroke. You can help them avoid another. Support Them in Making Lifestyle Changes Work together to make lifestyle changes, such as eating a healthy diet, quitting smoking and exercising more. Encourage Them to Stay on Therapy Remind your loved one to take the medication as prescribed by the doctor to reduce the risk of another heart attack or stroke. 8

7 DON T LET HIGH CHOLESTEROL GET IN THE WAY If your loved one has had a heart attack or stroke, the risk of having another could be even higher. 1,2 Don t wait to address their high cholesterol. Your support and encouragement can help him or her lower their cholesterol to avoid another heart attack or stroke. BE THERE FOR YOUR LOVED ONE It is natural to be worried about your loved one following a heart attack or stroke. Remember, there are things that can be done to alleviate the risk. Start by listening to his or her concerns and discussing all the ways they are working to reduce cholesterol. It is important you understand their current treatment plan and ensure he or she is doing all they can to reduce the risk of another heart attack or stroke. Don t wait, speak to your loved one and encourage him or her to talk to the doctor about additional, innovative treatments that could help to reduce their cholesterol. 6,10

8 Visit for more information Referencias 1. World Health Organization. Prevention of Recurrences of Myocardial Infarction and Stroke Study The PREMISE programme: country projects. Available at: Last accessed: August Bhatt DL, Eagle KA, Ohman EM, et al. Comparative determinants of 4-year cardiovascular event rates in stable outpatients atrisk of or with atherothrombosis. JAMA.2010;304: Available at: Last accessed June Goldstein, J. L., & Brown, M. S. (2009). History of Discovery: The LDL Receptor. Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis, and Vascular Biology, 29(4), Hansson, G.K. Inflammation, atherosclerosis, and coronary artery disease. N Engl J Med 352, (2005). 5. Glagov S. Compensatory Enlargement of Human Atherosclerotic Coronary Arteries. N Engl J Med 316, (1987). 6. Fox K, Kostev K, Vultee C, et al. Lack of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) goal attainment among high-risk patients using high or moderate intensity statin therapy in Germany. Eur Heart J /eurheartj/ehx502.P World Health Organization. Raised Cholesterol. Available at: Last accessed June Range et al. Factors Associated With Adherence to Statin Medications of Patients Enrolled in a Self-insured University Health Plan. Clinical Therapeutics Yusuf S, Hawken S, Ôunpuu S, et al. Effect of potentially modifiable risk factors associated with myocardial infarction in 52 countries (the INTERHEART study) : case-control study. Lancet. 2004; 364: Sabatine et al. Efficacy and Safety of Further Lowering of Low-Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol in Patients Starting With Very Low Levels - A Meta-analysis; JAMA Cardiol. doi: /jamacardio Amgen Middle East FZ-LLC Business Central Tower A, 2007 P.O Box , Dubai, UAE PR-NA-ARE Sep 18