MP Tau Henare recovers after suffering heart attack

National Party MP Tau Henare is recovering after suffering a heart attack at the weekend and says it was a sharp reminder to change bad habits.

Speaking from Auckland City Hospital the 49-year-old list MP said he was woken at 2am on Sunday morning and knew straight away he was having a heart attack.

He said his wife, Ngaire, "told me I looked like a tupapaku [dead body.] I rang the ambulance and I just started to sweat and threw up.

It's a wake-up call - it's not every day you have a heart attack."

He updated his Facebook page last night telling friends about his health scare.

"Well at 2ish this morning I had a wee heart attack. Freakiest thing in the whole world. Anyway, all is good they put a stent into my artery. Don't Panic whanau and don't jump for joy either."

A stent is a tiny mesh frame which keeps blocked arteries open.

In April, he revealed he had diabetes and was trying to give up smoking. Yesterday he said he would have to give up.

"I don't care if I don't see another smoke again. I haven't even felt like one today."

Poor diet had also clogged his arteries but this year his weight fell from 104kg to 97kg.

Mr Henare is being kept in hospital and is not likely to return to Parliament until July.