Patients With Acute Myocardial Infarction

Cardiovascular diseases are one of the leading causes of mortality in all populations nowadays. Coronary artery disease (CAD) is considered to be the first cause of all deaths in the world. In 2017, 31% of the worldwide deaths (17.7 million) were caused by cardiovascular diseases. 80% of cardiovascular diseases are related to myocardial infarction (MI). It is thought that deaths due to cardiovascular diseases will reach 23.6 million in 2030. Myocardial infarction is an irreversible heart muscle necrosis caused by prolonged ischemia. There are many factors that are effective in the formation of acute myocardial infarction (AMI). It is significant to know these factors that pose a risk to protection from this disease. Some of the risk factors can be changed and others include factors that are not possible to change. Risk factors that cannot be changed include individual features which are impossible to change; gender, age, family history, and presence of ACS in the history, biochemical or physiological features. In addition, risk factors that can be changed include obesity, low HDL-cholesterol level, high blood pressure, thrombogenic factors, hyperglycemia/diabetes mellitus, high plasma cholesterol, high plasma triglyceride level, stress, cholesterol-rich and high-calorie eating habits, smoking, consuming excess alcohol and sedentary life. In patients with myocardial infarction, the mortality rate was 10% in the first years and 5% in the following years. Nurses play a significant role in the development, maintenance and prevention of diseases. Individuals with cardiovascular diseases should be given appropriate training before being discharged from the hospital. Training plan in patient/family education should be planned according to individual's readiness to learn, learning needs, education levels and previous experiences. In the context of an effective training: in addition to basic information such as giving necessary information about the disease, cardiovascular risk factors and ways to reduce them, the importance of life change (drug use, healthy nourishment, smoking cessation, physical activity, etc.), regular policlinic control and guidance to cardiac rehabilitation program; information to meet the basic needs of the individual (return to work after MI, sexual life, housework, travel, driving, etc.) should be included. It is stated that the healing processes of the patients who are given discharge training have accelerated, and the number of recurrent applications to the hospital/policlinic has decreased and accordingly the patient care costs have decreased and the quality of care has increased.