The Follow You Heart guidance, primary care poster and patient leaflet has been developed for primary care physicians and nurses to provide support in the provision of optimal care and treatment to the 1.4 million post myocardial infarction (MI)patients living in the UK.

The Follow You Heart group- a collaboration between primary and secondary care clinicians and patients from the Primary Care Cardiovascular Society (PCCS), HEART UK and Pfiser- have developed this guidance after a recent qualitative study suggested there is considerable variation in the awareness, availability and implementation of guidlines for the clinical management of post-MI patients amongst primary care clincians.

Post-MI patients are at much higher risk of further CV event, and uniquely, this guidance recognises the importance of involving patients in achieving best clinical outcomes. It includes specific patient focused components to enable post-MI survivors to better understand their condition and take an active responsibility for their recovery and continued health.

The full guidance article, Follow Your Heart: optimal care after a heart attack- a guide for you and your patients, has been published by the British Journal of Cardiology (2009;16:187-91) and is also available on www.bjcardio.co.uk