Your drug regimen looks pretty typical for the heart patient. You have
blood pressure meds, statins, blood thinner, asprin , and a beta blocker.Im not familiar with Effient, the blood thinner, but I take Plavix
which has the same function. Im a little surprised that they will be taking you off in a couple of months. A few years ago the normal protocol was blood thinner for 2 years after hear attack , but mine was almost 6 1/2 years ago and the doc says I will probably be on it forever.
The dose of BP medicine is dependent on how high yiur readings are.
Ive had to increase mine once in the last 6 years. The only drug I take in addition to those you mention is Lovaza. It is a prescription
strength concentrated fish oil to raise omega 3 and omega 6 levels.
The 2 likely reasons for lack of focus would be the statin [ my doc said he had one patient that swears it drastically affects his memory]
or just the combo of having a lot of drugs In your system. I take
Wellbutrin , an atypical antidepressant that helps with motivation and focus , so I haven't had that problem.

After a loved one suffered an MI (HA) and open heart surgery for one CABG, he too, was primed for a similar drug regimen. As I have learned, this is determined by "Guidelines" after compilation of evidenced based research. However, the one drug we refused was a statin (Lipitor) because the patient's cholesterol numbers were barely above range and when one is healing or of more advanced age, they need more cholesterol for the ongoing repair, not less. A study done in France with women >70 confirmed this when it was found that with higher stores of cholesterol, they had better cognition, short term memory, less to no falls and overall, a more optimum quality of life. Further, those on a statin should also use CoQ10 (Ubiquinol) as a supplement...because not only does a statin lower the cholesterol but so does it deplete CoQ10 because both agents are produced in the same biochemical pathway. So, when CoQ10 is a major antioxidant for the heart, brain, and liver and tissues, no one should be without it while on a statin...yet, even in my own circle, most who have been put on a statin had never heard of added need for the CoQ10. Former NASA specialist, Duane Graveline, MD has shared about his experiences with one (of two) adverse effects of statins which is known as Transient Global Amnesia after he had been on enough Lipitor that, for his biology, ended up removing his memories back to the age of nine (9). As a scientist, he was compelled to test his theory that this devolution was caused by the statin so after a long recovery, he tried Lipitor again (own MD denied its involvement) and eventually, the same result began to evolve. The second adverse event related to a statin is about muscle deterioration known as Rhabdomyalisis and usually starts with odd back of leg pain. When a friend in his 70's began to complain of this, I suggested the CoQ10 which did help...although he soon went off the statin altogether. Needless to say, with varying degree of status quo (age, gender, other conditions, life style habits, etc.) AND no addition of CoQ10...some will feel the challenge of cholesterol deficiency in their brain, others will in their muscles and some will suffer in both areas. Lastly, when statistics confirm that >50% of those who suffer a heart attack are found to have 'normal to low' levels of circulating cholesterol, we must ask ourselves how this naturally widespread in body agent could be THE inciting cause, especially when it is so important for the creation of steroid hormones, ongoing arterial repair and brain health. By now you have talked to your doctor and if any of this rings true, I sure extend my very best to you for a soon (if not already) restoration of brighter mental health. As we have seen with my loved one, there is robust life and energized thinking after the set back of an MI...even before what is now three years post.

Your cholesterol medication (Simvastatin) and beta blocker (Metropolol) should both be considered suspect.

I have used a variety of cholesterol meds, and all of them attacked my nervous system one way or another; Lipitor in particular caused a gradual onset amnesia.

Beta blockers are, IMHO, a broad-spectrum butt kicker. I was on Coreg for about six months before I just said no. It caused nightmares and generally poor sleep quality. That alone is enough to dull your mental edge. It also sapped my energy and caused severe heat intolerance.

Medications aside, the emotional aftermath of a heart attack could be part of the problem too. Most people need a lot more than a few months to work their way through it all. It goes without saying that it can be hard to focus on mundane matters after a serious brush with death.

I'm on all the exact same meds with the exception of Effient. They took me off that after 3 months. I had my HA Jan 3rd of this year. I did the cardiac rehab with no problems but have been complaining about extreme fatigue since being discharged from the hospital.



Vic