Positive psychological and life-style changes after myocardial infarction: a follow-up study after 2-4 years

An interview study of 84 males recruited from a post-infarction anticoagulant trial revealed a number of positive changes regarding life-style and factors related to quality of life 3-5 months after the index infarction. In the present study we investigated the extent to which such changes persist after 2-4 (additional) years. Seventy-four of 75 survivors responded to a postal questionnaire. The answers concerning the total life situation, as compared with the last month before the myocardial infarction, were as follows (response after 3-5 months in brackets): improved 29% (33%), unchanged/uncertain 47% (47%) and deteriorated 24% (20%). There were still appreciable positive changes at follow-up regarding smoking, physical activity, alcohol consumption and stress at work. Similar changes or a slight reduction were observed in previously reported positive scoring of factors related to quality of life. The same applied to the two General Health Questionnaire scorings. We conclude that positive changes in psychosocial and life-style factors as seen shortly after myocardial infarction generally seem to persist after 2-4 years.