If you’ve survived a heart attack, you deserve congratulations. You faced the beast and won, my friend.
But it turns out that’s only half the battle. Because what happens next is, in many ways, equally as important. And it’s not just a matter of avoiding a second one.
New research reveals a frightening problem that strikes heart attack survivors with alarming frequency. The attack marks the start of a mental slide. And it can include thinking impairments, memory loss, and even cognitive decline.
If you don’t spot it early enough… or you do but don’t take quick action and tell your doctor… those problems could become permanent.
So today, I will tell you what every heart attack survivor needs to watch for. Plus, I’ll share what you can do about it if you notice the warning signs.
A heart attack can trigger cognitive problems
What’s especially scary about this new study is that it focused on people who were cognitively healthy before they had a heart attack. They were average Joes or Janes.
The participants had zero histories of memory struggles, thinking impairments, or cognitive decline. Yet, within six months after their heart attacks, HALF developed those problems.
The folks with the most severe cardiovascular disease were at the highest risk for the cognitive problems. And of those 50 percent, half of the cases went away over time.
But that still meant a lot of folks remained affected. In fact, that left one in four from the original heart attack group struggling. Their problems with thinking, memory, and cognition became permanent.
In some cases, the struggles were noticeable in the days immediately following the heart attack. Which, if it’s going to happen anyway, is actually a good thing. Because that way, while you’re still under such a close watch, there’s a good chance your doctors WILL spot the trouble.
But for other patients, the impairment developed more gradually. It crept in over the weeks or even months following the heart attack. And that made it much tougher to spot.
In those cases, it’s left up to you and your loved ones to notice the warning signs and act to ensure the cognitive issues don’t become permanent for you.
Spot the cause… and FIX IT fast
The study didn’t nail down the root cause of the brain complications. But researchers believe it could come down to three issues…
- stress/anxiety
- depression
- sleep problems
It’s an educated hunch that makes sense to me. After all, each is common after a heart attack. Plus, all three are known to cause cognitive problems and decline in seniors.
And, of course, the poor circulation that often accompanies heart disease can stop blood and oxygen from reaching the brain effectively, leading to cognitive problems.
Fortunately, all of these complications have remedies that could help.
- Try to relax. Creating a deep breathing routine and calming herbal teas can often help. As an added bonus, belly breathing is good for your brain. But what you do to relax isn’t all that important, just that it helps you blow off stress and anxiety.
- Consider a supplement with a proven natural antidepressant such as curcumin. And a drug-free stress-buster such as Rhodiola rosea can be helpful too.
- For sleep issues, melatonin supplements can often get things back on track. Once their sleep patterns are realigned, many folks find that they can stop taking melatonin daily.
- To boost circulation, which is often critical after a heart attack, the same curcumin I already mentioned is also great for overall better cardiovascular health. The omega-3 fatty acids you’ll get from a fish oil supplement can help, too. Plus, you can make a few tweaks to your diet to keep things flowingly free. I shared five good options here in my earlier report.
Just be sure to speak to your doctor before starting any new supplements to be sure they will play nice with any current medications you’re taking.


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