Your first 30 days after a heart disease diagnosis

A calm, step-by-step guide to the first month after a coronary artery disease diagnosis, heart attack, stent or bypass: medicines, rehab, rest and support.

6 min read · last reviewed September 28, 2026

Hearing "you have heart disease" can turn your world upside down. Maybe you had a heart attack. Maybe you had a stent put in, or bypass surgery. Or maybe a test showed narrowed arteries before anything happened. However you got here, the first month can feel like a blur of new words, new pills and new worries.

Here is the good news: most people with coronary artery disease go on to live active, full lives. Treatment today works well, and many of the most important steps are things you can start this week. This guide walks you through the first 30 days, one step at a time.

Week 1: Settle in and get organized

The first days at home are about rest, routine and knowing who to call.

• Get a name and a number. Before you leave the hospital, ask for the phone number of a nurse, clinic or doctor you can call with questions.
• Book your follow-up. Heart & Stroke suggests seeing your family doctor within a week or two of leaving hospital. You will also likely see your heart specialist (cardiologist) in the coming weeks.
• Rest, but don't stop moving. Feeling tired is normal. Spread your activities through the day and rest when you need to. Many people can start gentle walking right away.
• Keep a medicine list. Write down every medicine you take, including vitamins and herbal products. Keep one copy in your wallet and one by the phone.

Something you can do today: Put your care team's phone number in your phone and on your fridge.

Your medicines: the quiet heroes

After a heart attack or stent, you will probably go home with several new medicines. Common types include medicines that keep blood clots from forming, medicines that lower cholesterol (such as statins), and medicines that ease the work of your heart or lower blood pressure. Each one has a job, and together they lower your chance of another heart problem.

• Take them every day, exactly as prescribed. Don't skip or change a dose unless your team tells you to.
• Never stop a medicine on your own, even if you feel fine or have side effects. This is especially true for anti-clotting medicines after a stent. Call your team first. There is often another option.
• Use tools. A weekly pill organizer, phone alarms or blister packs from your pharmacy can make it easier.
• Ask your pharmacist before taking any new medicine, including over-the-counter pain or cold remedies and herbal products.

Something you can do today: Ask your pharmacist to go through your medicine list with you, one pill at a time.

Ask about cardiac rehab (really!)

Cardiac rehabilitation, or "cardiac rehab," is a program of exercise, education and counselling for people with heart disease. It is run by a team that may include nurses, exercise specialists, dietitians and counsellors. Some programs are in person; others work by video or app from home.

Research shows that cardiac rehab lowers the chance of another heart attack and of going back to hospital, and helps people feel better. Yet many people never go. Some are never referred, so it is worth asking.

• Ask your doctor or nurse: "Can you refer me to cardiac rehab?"
• It can take a few weeks to start. In the meantime, walk every day unless your doctor has told you not to.

Something you can do today: Ask for your referral, or call the hospital to check it was sent.

Weeks 2 to 4: Build your new routine

As you feel stronger, you can slowly add more to your day.

• Move a little more each day. Add a few minutes to your walk every few days. Your rehab team can give you a plan that fits you.
• Eat for your heart. Small changes count: more vegetables, fruit, whole grains, beans and fish; less salt and fewer highly processed foods. See our guide, Eating for your heart.
• If you smoke or vape, ask for help to quit. Quitting is one of the most powerful things you can do for your heart, and counselling plus stop-smoking medicines make success more likely. You don't have to do it alone.
• Ask about returning to work and driving. Many people return to work within one to three months. Driving rules depend on your condition and where you live. See Life after a heart attack.
• Ask about vaccines. Heart guidelines recommend a yearly flu shot for people with coronary artery disease.

Something you can do this week: Choose one small change, such as a 10-minute walk after dinner, and do it every day.

Take care of your feelings, too

It is very common to feel scared, sad, angry or on edge after a heart diagnosis. Some people worry about every twinge in their chest. Others feel low or can't sleep. These feelings are real, and they are treatable.

• Talk with someone you trust about how you feel.
• Tell your care team if low mood or worry lasts more than two weeks. Heart guidelines recommend checking for depression, because treating it helps recovery.
• Family members can feel stressed, too. They are welcome to ask questions and join rehab sessions.

Something you can do today: Read Your feelings matter, and share it with someone close to you.

Know your warning signs

Keep this list where you and your family can see it. Call 9-1-1 or your local emergency number if you have:

• Chest discomfort: pressure, squeezing, fullness, pain, burning or heaviness
• Discomfort in the neck, jaw, shoulders, arms or back
• Shortness of breath
• Sweating, nausea or light-headedness

If your doctor prescribed nitroglycerin, use it as instructed. Don't drive yourself to the hospital. For a full guide, read When to call 9-1-1.

Something you can do today: Show your family this list, and consider learning Hands-Only CPR together.

Questions to ask your care team

• What exactly happened to my heart, and what did my tests show?
• What does each of my medicines do, and how long will I take it?
• Who do I call with questions, day or night?
• Have I been referred to cardiac rehab? When will it start?
• How much activity is safe for me right now?
• When can I go back to work, drive, travel and have sex?

This article is general information, not medical advice. Talk with your health care team about your own situation. In an emergency, call 9-1-1 or your local emergency number.

In an emergency, call 9-1-1 or your local emergency number.

General information, not medical advice. It does not replace your own care team. If you think you or someone else is having a medical emergency, call 9-1-1 or your local emergency number. If you are in crisis or thinking about suicide, call or text 9-8-8 (Canada and the US).

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