For Heart Attack Survivors, Support Systems Are Critical In Moving Forward

Social support can prove a critical tool for the survival of heart attack patients, according to recent findings published in the Journal of the American Heart Association.

For the study, researchers examined 3,432 people who survived myocardial infarction, with all participants between the ages of 18 and 55. They were assessed based on three points immediately following the heart attack at the one month mark and then again at 12 months.

During the initial assessment following the heart attack, findings revealed that about 20 percent of the patients reported low levels of social support. Furthermore, the patients were more likely to be living alone, single and/or unemployed. They were also at a greater risk for certain factors, including high blood pressure, depression, diabetes, alcohol abuse and smoking.

"We shouldn't just be concerning ourselves with pills and procedures. We have to pay attention to things like love and friendship and the context of people's lives," said lead study author Dr. Harlan Krumholz, director of the Center of Outcomes Research and Evaluation at Yale-New Haven Hospital in Connecticut, via WebMD. "It may be that these efforts to help people connect better with others, particularly after an illness, may have very powerful effects on their recovery and the quality of their lives afterwards."

Twelve-month follow-ups also revealed that many of the patients with little to no social support from family or friends were dealing with worse health outcomes and a lower quality of life in general following their health ordeal.

Researchers concluded that if anyone in recovery of this health issue is in need for adequate advice and/or support, there are support structures near you to reach out to. Just ask your doctor for advice and where to find them.