Background: Myocardial infarction (MI) is a serious condition which may lead to sudden death. More and more people in Sweden survives after having suffered an MI. That means that more people are in need of follow-ups and health care advices regarding lifestyle changes after an MI. It is important for nurses to know how to behave, both towards the patients but also as a team leader, and to see the whole patient in his or her situation to be able to maintain hope.

Aim: The aim of this study was to describe patients' experiences related to lifestyle changes after a myocardial infarction.

Method: A literature study was made based on ten qualitative studies.

Results: Three themes were found; "Moods and its effect on conducts", "Need of support and information" and "Prospects". The result showed that it was problematic for patients to make lifestyle changes due to fear of not knowing their own limits, lack of support and understanding from relatives as well as from health care personnel. The result also showed a lack of knowledge in patients regarding their illness and not knowing how to regain health. Hope and a sense of getting a second chance seamed to motivate patients in the recovery process.

Conclusion: During the recovery process after a myocardial infarction is it important for the nurse to support and give information to both patients and relatives in order to help patients to achieve and maintain lifestyle changes. It is of great importance that the nurse may discover the different needs of the patients and individualize the care given to them. Regular follow-ups are significant to maintain motivation and to be able to make adjustments if necessary