Heart attack survivors 'face greater risk of serious health conditions', new study warns

People who survive heart attacks could face a greater risk of developing further serious health conditions for up to ten years afterwards, a new study has suggested.

The study by academics at the University of Leeds, part-funded by the British Heart Foundation (BHF) and Wellcome, analysed records of adults admitted to one NHS trust in England between January 1, 2008 and January 31, 2017. Of the 145.9 million hospitalisation records, some 433,361 individuals had suffered a heart attack for the first time.

The most likely condition was heart failure at 29.6%, compared to 9.8% in the control group. However, kidney failure developed in 27.2% of heart attack survivors compared with 19.8% of other patients. New hospital admissions for diabetes were also higher at 17% compared with 14.3% among patients who had not had a heart attack.

Researchers have said that patients could benefit from additional support and monitoring in the years following diagnosis. They also suggested future studies should focus on identifying those at the greatest risk of adverse health conditions and on developing new strategies for prevention and early diagnosis.

Professor Bryan Williams, chief scientific and medical officer at the BHF, commented: "While more people than ever are surviving heart attacks, there can be longer term consequences. Particularly after a major heart attack, people can be left with irreparable damage to their heart, putting them at increased risk of heart failure.

"This study sheds further light on how heart attacks are associated with increased risk of developing other serious health conditions, including heart failure and atrial fibrillation." He also noted that the study found those from more socioeconomically deprived backgrounds are at greater risk of further ill health after a heart attack, and at a younger age.

"The research suggests that these patients may benefit from additional support and monitoring to help reduce their risk of developing further health conditions. It is vital the NHS has the resource, including staff, infrastructure and equipment, to deliver the care that patients need to help them stay in the best possible health for longer."

Dr Marlous Hall, the lead author of the study, said there are "around 1.4 million" heart attack survivors in the UK who are at risk of "further serious health conditions".

Dr Hall, who is an associate professor of cardiovascular epidemiology at Leeds' School of Medicine and multimorbidity research in the Leeds Institute for Data Analytics (LIDA), added: "Effective communication of the likely course of disease and risk of adverse long-term outcomes between patients and healthcare professionals can promote positive lifestyle changes, encourage patients to stick to treatment and improve patient understanding and quality of life."

The BHF estimates that 100,000 people are admitted to hospital with heart attacks every year in the UK, but more than seven in 10 people now survive them. "Our study highlights the need for individual care plans to be revised to take into account the higher demand for care caused by survivorship," Dr Hall added.

The study revealed that heart attack patients were 393% more likely to suffer from heart failure and had a 98% increased risk of atrial fibrillation. Additionally, these patients were found to have a 77% higher risk of kidney failure, a 13% increased risk of vascular dementia, and a 6% greater risk of depression.

However, the risk of cancer was lower among heart attack patients, according to the research. Morag Foreman, head of discovery researchers at Wellcome, said the study "provides valuable insight into the types of support and interventions that may be needed for patients following a heart attack".

She added: "As survival rates following a heart attack improve, understanding the longer-term impacts on physical and mental health is crucial."