Heart Education Awareness Resource and Training through eLearning (HEARTe)

After Angus is discharged

Immediately after his discharge from hospital, Angus lived with his sister, with good support from his brother and friends. His sister cooked his meals and he undertook only gentle exercise for the first week. Although Angus was slightly fearful, he felt secure living with his sister. At the end of a week, Angus feels well enough to move back to his own house. His sister visits regularly to help with housework and cooking.

Two weeks after his discharge Angus has recommenced gentle walking with his dog and feels he is making some progress in getting back to his normal level of activity.

Please enable JavaScript in your browser to see this interactive content.

After his visit to the Practice Nurse, Angus feels more worried and concerned than he had before his appointment.

People react in different ways to a diagnosis of a heart condition or to living with cardiac disease. It is common to experience a range of emotions such as anger, worry, fear, sadness and irritability. These feelings can be there all the time or come and go. They can be short lived or persist for several weeks or months.

Reaction to a diagnosis of heart disease

Psychological reactions to heart disease
Numbness:
  • feeling ‘detached
  • the event may seem unreal, like a dream, something that has not really happened
  • only in time may this numbness give away to feeling things more intensely
Fear:
  • of having a heart attack
  • of re-experiencing intense physical pain
  • of “breaking down” or “losing control”
  • of being left alone or having to leave loved ones
Helplessness:
  • feeling of being powerless
Sadness and grief:
  • for loss of being healthy
  • for the feeling of being invulnerable
  • for any life changes (e.g. giving up a job or hobby)
Guilt:
  • for being better off than others, for having survived
  • for having people worry
  • regrets for things not done
Shame/embarrassed:
  • for having been exposed as helpless, “emotional” or needing others’ help
Anger:
  • at what has happened
  • at the unfairness and senselessness of it all
  • at any shame or indignities suffered
  • at other people not understanding
Shock:
  • feelings of disbelief
  • questioning “why me?”
Need for privacy:
  • wanting time alone
Relationship change:
  • shift in being carer/breadwinner to “being wrapped in cotton wool”

Angus visits the practice nurse for some blood tests.

Scene 1:

Practice nurse: “How are you doing? Have you had any chest pain since you got home?”

Angus: “No, I’ve been fine”

Scene 2:

Angus thinks: “Why is she asking if I’m having chest pain? I thought I was fixed. Am I still at risk of another heart attack?”

Scene 3:

Practice nurse: “That’s good. Has somebody explained to you what the medications you are taking are for? Can I just check that you have enough of them?”

Angus: “I think the tablets are for my blood pressure and cholesterol. Is that right? I do need a new prescription, as I am almost finished my supply.”

Scene 4:

Angus thinks: “What if the tablets aren’t working? What if my cholesterol is too high? Will I have another heart attack”

Scene 5:

Practice nurse: “I’ll get a repeat prescription organised for you. You should also have a glyceryl trinitrate (GTN) spray to use when you feel any chest discomfort. Do you have one of these?”

Angus: “Yes, I have one. The nurse in the hospital explained it to me and showed me how to use it.”

Scene 6:

Angus thinks: “What if I don’t use it when I should? Or if I don’t use it properly? What if the chest discomfort is really another heart attack and I don’t call the ambulance in time?”

Page last reviewed: 31 Jul 2020