Patient’s Guide To Recovery After Heart Surgery

Post-surgical care plays a very important role in the final recovery of a heart patient. Since heart surgery is a major surgical procedure, the body undergoes a lot of trauma. Hence, the recovery period post heart surgery is quite long. It can take you up to six to eight weeks to fully recover from a heart surgery. Although you will be given post-surgery tips from the hospital, the following tips will definitely help you to heal in a better manner.

Caring For The Surgery Wound:- The cut made by the surgery should be kept clean and dry at all times. For the first few days post-surgery, you should not allow water anywhere near the wound. It’s better to take sponge baths for the first few days post-surgery. You should immediately call your doctor if you notice unusual signs such as excessive bleeding, unusual redness or fever.

Diet & Nutrition:- Healthy diet and exercise are an important part of recovery post-surgery. Getting proper nutrition will speed up your healing process. Generally, heart patients are advised low sodium and low fat diet. If you are diabetic, you will have to follow a low sugar diet as well. Eat plenty of fresh vegetables and fruits. Choose foods that are low in cholesterol and fat. Complex carbohydrates such as whole grains are apt foods for heart patients.

Visit To a Cardiologist

Frequent visits to a cardiologist is a must. Only a cardiologist will be able to monitor your progress accurately. Choose a hospital with state of the art facilities to monitor heart health. In India, Apollo hospitals are considered the best heart hospitals and are located in all the major cities.

Daily Activities:- In the first few days of surgery, complete body rest is paramount. You can gradually start increasing the activity levels as you recover. Once your surgery incision heals completely, you can start walking every day. However before indulging in activities such as climbing stairs or driving, ask your doctor if it is ok to do so.