The prevalence rate of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) in developing countries is on the rise because of aging population and rapid lifestyle changes, in particular, tobacco use, high-fat food intake, lack of physical activity and exercise, as well as adoption of industrial lifestyle [1]. Nowadays, CVDs are known as the world’s leading cause of death. Estimates in 2015 in this respect had also established that 17.7 million people had died from CVDs, accounting for 31% of global mortality. Statistics had further revealed that 7.4 million people had lost their lives caused by coronary artery disease and 6.7 million people had died due to myocardial infarction (MI) [2]. Mortality and recurrent MI are thus considered as the main clinical outcomes following an acute heart attack. Ability to perform daily living activities, level of comfort, and lifestyle behaviors after a heart attack among patients are also taken into account as important factors affecting their survival [3]. Moreover, evidence has demonstrated that lifestyle can shape individuals’ health status and longevity [4]. Epidemiological studies have further reported that healthy lifestyle such as proper diet, no tobacco use, healthy weight maintenance, and physical activity can play a role in controlling cardiovascular risk factors [5].
The World Health Organization (WHO) also recognizes the concept of lifestyle based on definable patterns of behavior resulting from interactions between personal characteristics, social relationships, environmental conditions, and socioeconomic situations [6]. In fact, lifestyle refers to routine daily living activities accepted automatically by individuals, so they can affect health status [7]. To pick a lifestyle to maintain and promote one’s health and to prevent diseases, individuals take several measures including proper diet adherence, enough sleep, rest, physical activity and exercise, weight control, as well as no tobacco use, and immunization against diseases [8]. It should be noted that health-promoting lifestyle consists of six behavioral aspects of physical activity, nutrition, health responsibility, spiritual growth, interpersonal relations, and stress management [9].
In this line, the results of the study by Manavifar et al. (2019) had found that lifestyle in patients with hypertension referred to clinics affiliated to Islamic Azad University of Mashhad was not at a favorable level. In terms of physical activity, majority of the patients had also answered “never” to items about regular, vigorous, or even moderate exercise. In addition, more than half of the patients had insufficient information about sodium and oil intake with regard to nutrition [9]. The findings reported by Mohseni-Pouya et al. had correspondingly demonstrated a significant relationship between lifestyle and prevalence rate of coronary artery disease in patients affected with CVDs [10]. Moreover, Mansourian et al. (2012) had revealed a significant difference between lifestyle (i.e. physical activity, spiritual growth, interpersonal relations, and stress management) and high blood pressure [11].
On the other hand, epidemiological transition of acute and infectious diseases to non-communicable ones as the leading cause of mortality and health disorders has made the assessment of lifestyle an essential issue especially in this period [12]. Considering the importance of lifestyle and its effect in helping individuals have access to favorable health status, the present study was conducted to assess factors affecting for lifestyle adoption in palliative care of in patients affected with myocardial infarction admitted to Mazandaran Heart Center, Iran, in 2019.