One in two heart attack survivors can't return to the same level of work or physical activity as before, a new survey has found.
Even performing basic activities such as bathing or showering is harder for a fifth of the 351 survivors polled by the Heart Foundation.
The results highlight the ongoing, disabling effects attacks can have on a person and their family, the foundation's chief medical adviser, Professor Garry Jennings, said.
"There's this perception that people have a heart attack and then three days later they leave hospital 'cured'.
"However, this is far from the truth. All these people now live with a life-long condition of heart disease and for many it will impact their quality of life."
Nearly half have trouble keeping up with tasks like gardening or looking after children after their attack, while on the professional front, a quarter can't even go back to work.
Prof Jennings stressed that survivors should attend cardiac rehabilitation programs to help guide their recovery.
The programs are made up of physical exercises, health education, counselling and behaviour modification strategies.
"More than one in three survivors surveyed felt attending cardiac rehabilitation gave them an understanding of the emotions and fears they were dealing with and felt it also reduced their anxiety or depression," Prof Jennings said.
He said people were less likely to be readmitted to hospital or die from another heart attack following the programs.
"Cardiac rehabilitation programs should be seen as an investment in the future. It may take some time and effort now, but will dramatically increase a person's quality of life and improve their health."
HEART STATS:
* 55,000 Aussies have heart attacks each year
* A person dies from a heart attack every hour
* One in three heart attacks are repeat cases
* One in five sufferers will have another heart attack within a year
* Each heart attack costs the health system $30,700
* Average cost of a cardiac rehabilitation program is $885 per person
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