Heart attack

Overview

In this section you can find out about the experience of a heart attack (myocardial infarction) by seeing and hearing people share their personal stories on film. Researchers travelled all around the UK to talk to 43 people (including 4 carers) in their own homes. Find out what people said issues such as symptoms, surgery, returning to work and intimate relationships. We hope you find the information helpful and reassuring.

Ranulph Fiennes introduces the heart attack site

Ranulph Fiennes introduces the heart attack site


Heart attack - site preview

Heart attack - site preview

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Interview 37: No chest pain, no dizziness, no sweating, nothing at all from the things which we know from [laughs] what’s told in the books. So ask the patients about.

Interview 19: At that time I was amazed, staggered, to be told yes, you've definitely had a heart attack.

Interview 32: So he didn't know what to do really. His mum was, you know, really poorly and he just didn't know what to do because that's not supposed to happen to your Mum.

Interview 5: I was intensely physical, you know, I used to love just running up a hill or mountain if it was there or -. Now I can't walk without having to stop. It's such a change. It's quite frustrating.

Interview 8: Because the black moods, the despair, and very much out of character after the triple bypass initially  have me breaking down and crying for no apparent reason.

Interview 22: You might not be able to do all the things that you did before. You might not be able to think as clearly as it did before, but you can, you can't get over it. You can, you can build up your life.

Interview 23: Most people can do a heck of a lot more after a heart attack than they think they can.

Interview 22: I think that life is good and there's only one life to enjoy, so you might as well enjoy it.

 
This section is from research by the University of Oxford.

Supported by:
British Heart Foundation

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Publication date: August 2004
Last updated: June 2017

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