Answers for heart patientsతెలుగులో చదవండి
Is it gas or my heart?
It can be hard to tell. A heart attack can feel like indigestion: burning, full or bloated. So if you are not sure, treat it as your heart. Get help.
From the NHS and the British Heart Foundation.
Why heart patients get acidity
Blood thinners like aspirin (Ecosprin) and clopidogrel can upset the stomach. So doctors often add a stomach medicine, such as omeprazole or lansoprazole. It lowers stomach acid.
Take it the way your doctor wrote it. Do not stop any heart medicine without asking your doctor.
Things that help with heartburn
- Eat smaller meals, more often.
- Do not eat in the 3 to 4 hours before bed.
- Eat less oily and spicy food. Have less tea, coffee and alcohol.
- Raise the head of your bed by 10 to 20 cm, with blocks under the legs. Extra pillows do not work as well.
Make a plan with your doctor
Many heart patients rush to hospital again and again, and find nothing. That is tiring and costly. It is also scary.
Ask your doctor which signs mean “go now”, and which can wait for a visit. Write them down and keep them at home.
What happens at Cardiac Rehab
- A doctor checks you first.
- You get an exercise plan made for you.
- You exercise for 90 minutes, 3 times a week, while the doctor’s team watches.
- Step by step, the exercise gets harder as you get stronger.
Why it helps with this
The vagus nerve is the body’s calming nerve. It also helps the stomach and gut work well. In heart patients, a 2021 review found that cardiac rehab made this nerve work better, most clearly after exercise.
Weak vagus control has been linked with reflux (acid coming up). And in 33 studies of 242,850 people, active people had less reflux. Those who were active 150 minutes a week had much less.
No trial has yet tested cardiac rehab against acidity attacks directly. But Dr Muralidar sees fewer acidity attacks as his patients get fitter. Fewer attacks mean fewer scares, and a happier daily life.
Heart guidelines in the US (AHA and ACC) and in Europe (ESC) give cardiac rehab their highest grade: Class I, Level A.
Cardiac Rehab, Jubilee Hills, Hyderabad runs these sessions.
Frequently asked questions
Can I take an antacid for heartburn?
A pharmacist can suggest one. Antacids help for a short time. They should not be taken every day for a long time without seeing your doctor.
I get heartburn most days. What should I do?
See your doctor. They can give a stronger medicine that lowers stomach acid, and check for other causes.
Can gas pain feel like heart pain?
Yes. That is why it is hard to tell. A heart attack can also feel like indigestion. If you are not sure, get checked.
This page is general advice. Your own doctor knows your heart. If your doctor has told you something different, follow your doctor.
Written by Dr. Muralidar Babi, MBBS, MD (CMC Vellore), Cardiac Rehab Physician.