What life style advice on coronary care is given to older patients?

Abstract

OF 142 acute admissions to a coronary care unit dur ing 1990 (all people aged over 70), 95 survivors were interviewed a median of 8 months after their dis charge to find out what advice they recalled about smoking, diet and exercise. Eleven out of 15 smokers claimed to have given up or reduced consumption. Twenty-eight out of 42 patients recalling dietary ad vice said they had made positive changes, compared with 8/44 not recalling advice, (chi²=6.0, dof=1, p=0.009). However, only 9 of the 63 people whose serum cholesterol had been measured could recall having been told the result. Fit older people seem prepared to heed advice and change their life style after admission for suspected myocardial infarction.