Two Hearts One Future

 This report "Two hearts one future: a report of patients' & carers' experiences in surviving and coping with a first heart attack" finds that many heart attack survivors underestimate their risk of having a future heart attack. Preventative Health at the Baker IDI Heart and Diabetes Institute, under the auspices of the NHMRC Centre of Research Excellence to Reduce Inequality in Heart Disease, undertook a national survey to explore the experiences of individuals who survived their first heart attack (“subjects”). It also explored equivalent experiences in those caring (“carers”) for such individuals (but not necessarily the same ones who responded to the survey). Overall, these data provide a framework for improving our collective understanding of the causes and consequences of heart attack; particularly from the combined patient and carer respective. We found numerous misperceptions around heart attacks in those one might suspect would “know better”. We therefore need to improve education and support programs. Principal investigator was Professor Simon Stewart, with the Research team: Dr Yih Kai Chan, Dr Melinda Carrington and Ms Alicia Calderone. (APO 29 July 2013)