The educational needs of myocardial infarction patients

Over the last 20 years, the educational needs of myocardial infarction (MI) patients have been addressed from the points of view of health care providers and patients. However, most teaching is based on the health care providers' perceptions of patients' educational needs. Little emphasis has been placed on patients' perception of educational needs. This article identifies the MI patients' perceived learning needs in the coronary care unit, in the post-coronary care unit, and at home, and evaluates the extent of the effectiveness of various types of cardiac rehabilitation programs. Recommendations for educating first-time MI patients during each phase of cardiac recovery and for conducting future research studies are discussed.