- Q. Why do I need to be tied up to this monitor?
- A: Joan, you have had a heart attack and its especially important to observe you closely for the first few days. The monitor lets us observe you heart rhythm and rate and the other observations can show up signs that you are well or unwell.
- Q. How do you feel in yourself?
- A: I feel a bit breathless but otherwise I have no pain
- N: Due to the heart attack, the pumping action of the heart is impaired and this causes fluid to build up in the lungs. At present you are on medication to reduce the build up of fluid on the lungs and this is continuously monitored.
- Q. Can I get up to use the bathroom?
- A: As you are attached to the cardiac monitor and also because you are feeling breathless it is better if you use the commode at present. We want to make sure that you stay comfortable just now and don’t make your heart work too hard. We will let you be more independent as soon as we can. It’s also important for us to monitor how much urine you are passing.
- Q. Ok, can I move around the bed myself, I’m a bit scared I will put my heart under strain?
- A. Yes Joan that’s fine and good to keep your muscles moving and prevent you from putting pressure on your skin. Even though you are attached to the monitor the leads will move with you. It’s very natural that you are feeling scared as you have been through a lot in the last couple of days. We can talk about this over the next few days as well
- Q. Even though myself and my husband have been spoken to by the doctor I’m not that sure of whats going to happen next.
- A:Of course, you are going for a procedure called a coronary angiogram. This is a specialised x-ray of the heart which can be used to assess damage to the heart. Depending on the result, sometimes a small metal coil (stent) is used to open narrowed areas in the arteries of your heart. This will improve the blood going to your heart muscle and in the opinion of your doctor will help your symptoms and improve how your heart works. I will get some written information for you to read with your husband later about this.
Page last reviewed: 10 Jun 2020
