Smoking
You should not smoke. This is true for many health reasons. Now that you have
had heart surgery, it is especially important. Smoking increases your heart rate and
narrows the size of your arteries and vein grafts. Since you were not able to smoke
while you were in the hospital, you have the first few days without cigarettes
behind you. As you get back home and begin to feel better, the urge to smoke
may become stronger. Talk with your doctor about help with staying smoke-free
before you leave the hospital. There are many resources listed on
page 57 to help you.
Two-Week Daily Record
Your Two-Week Daily Record sheet is found in the back pocket of this book.
Record your weight, temperature, and pulse daily. If you have diabetes, also
record your morning and evening blood sugars. Take this with you to your
doctor’s appointments.
• Weight — Weigh yourself using the same scale at the same time each day —
the first thing in the morning before dressing, after using the bathroom, often
works best.
• Temperature — Take your temperature each morning before eating or
drinking and at any time you think you may have a fever.
• Heart Rate (Pulse) — Take your heart rate each day. See page 34 for
instructions. Count the number of beats for 1 full minute. Your heart rate
should not increase more than 20 beats per minute with any activity. If your
rate increases more than this, stop the activity and recheck your pulse in 15
minutes. If it remains high, continue to rest and recheck again in 15 minutes.
Call your cardiologist if it is still high at this pulse check.
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