How to monitor heart condition at home?
Patient: My father had a heart attack just the other day, it happens frequently, I would just like to know if there is any way he can check at home if his heart is ok? He doesn't have money for a doctor and I'm living too far from him to help  directly... Please help Doctor: Hello. Thank you for your question and welcome to HCM. I understand your concern. I would like to provide you only with the medical side of your concern, as I cannot speak about other administrative things. There is a window period after a heart attack that is accompanied with the highest risk of complications. A after heart attack patient, even at his best looking condition, can produce these complications, because the damaged part of the heart muscle goes through some gradual changes which start to happen 30 minutes after the attack up to six weeks, when this process is completed, and, finally, the previously normal tissue of the heart is replaced with non-functional scar tissue. This window is known to be 7-10 days counted from day one of the heart attack. These complications are sometimes serious and potentially life-threatening. Therefore, as a cardiologist, I would strongly recommend that he should be hospitalized in a specialized intensive cardiac care unit for further monitoring and treatment. Everyone can always take the risk and go home the day after the heart attack. But, it is a risk I would not recommend to anyone, both as a person and, especially, as a cardiologist. I hope this answers your query. Wish him a good health. Kind regards, Dr. Meriton