Heart Disease Symptoms
What exactly is an illness of the heart?
Diseases that affect either the heart itself or the blood arteries that supply it are referred to collectively under the umbrella term “heart disease.” According to the Mayo Clinic, the following disorders are considered to be forms of cardiac disease:
- The disease of the coronary arteries
- Arrhythmia of the heart
- Irregular heartbeats, including atrial fibrillation
- Abnormalities of the heart present at birth
Other disorders that might affect the heart include as follows:
- Infections of the heart
- Heart valve disease
- Cardiomegaly (an abnormally enlarged heart)
- Cardiomyopathy (a disease of the heart muscle)
What signs and symptoms are associated with the various forms of heart disease?
Angina, also known as chest pain that originates in the heart muscle and occurs when the muscle does not receive sufficient oxygen and nutrient-rich blood flow through the arteries, is a typical indication of heart disease. If you suffer from angina, you may experience discomfort in your chest. Around their breastbone, certain individuals report feeling as though they are being pinched or constricted. The discomfort may also travel down the shoulders and arms, into the upper abdomen, or into the upper back. It could also radiate to the neck.
It’s possible that you have heart disease if you’re really exhausted all the time or if you have trouble catching your breath after doing anything very light. Rest often brings about an improvement in these problems.
Women and men frequently experience a variety of symptoms in a different order. For instance, women might be more likely to have:
- Nausea
- vomiting
- Back ache
- Jaw ache
- shivering in the cold
- Paleness
- Dizziness
- experiencing difficulty breathing
- Lightheadedness
- Fainting episodes
It’s possible that women won’t identify the warning signs of heart disease. This is due to the fact that their symptoms could also be present in other diseases. Depression, stress, and menopause are all common additional risk factors that are more likely to be experienced by women.
Atherosclerosis
The symptoms of heart disease change depending on the specific type of heart ailment that an individual suffers from.
A hardening and stiffening of the blood arteries is the hallmark of atherosclerosis, which is caused by damage to the blood vessels brought on by the deposition of fatty plaque deposits. Atherosclerosis of the coronary arteries can cause a variety of symptoms, including chest discomfort and shortness of breath.
The following are other symptoms:
- Strange ache
- Coldness
- Numbness
- A lack of strength in both your arms and legs
The lack of a sufficient arterial blood flow to the extremities is the cause of these symptoms.
Arrhythmias
A variety of symptoms can be associated with arrhythmias, which are another name for irregular cardiac rhythms. An irregular heartbeat, often known as an arrhythmia, can occur in conjunction with the condition. It is possible that you will get the sensation of your heart having a flutter, a speeding heartbeat, or a pulse that is unusually slow.
An arrhythmia also has the potential to cause:
- Chest pain
- Lightheadedness
- Dizziness
- fainting spells
Heart conditions present at birth
Heart conditions known as congenital heart defects are those that normally take place during fetal development but are already present at birth. Typically, a diagnosis is made either shortly after birth or in early infancy. Depending on the severity of symptoms, it’s possible that a person won’t get a diagnosis until they’re an adult in some cases. These are the following:
- experiencing difficulty breathing
- Blue-tinged skin
- tired easily
- Puffiness in the face, hands, and feet
In general, the severity of the congenital abnormality correlates with the age at which it becomes apparent.
Cardiomyopathy
When the heart muscle becomes damaged, a condition known as cardiomyopathy can develop. It is possible to have a variety of symptoms, some of which may be challenging to instantly link to heart disease. These symptoms consist of the following:
- experiencing difficulty breathing
- swelling lower legs, ankles, or feet
- bloating
- Fatigue
- A beating or fluttering pulse
Infections of the heart
Infected pericarditis, infectious myocarditis, and infectious endocarditis are the three most common forms of heart infection. They can cause symptoms that are a little bit different from one another and impact different sections of the heart.
The signs and symptoms of a heart infection may be comparable to those of cardiomyopathy, but they may also include a high temperature, chest pain, a rash on the skin, or a persistent cough.
Determinants of risk for coronary heart disease
The following are examples of common risk factors for heart disease:
- becoming overweight
- The state of doing nothing
- The use of tobacco products
- Consuming a diet that is heavy in fat, high in sodium, and high in carbohydrates
- having diabetic mellitus
- being diagnosed with high blood pressure
- suffering with elevated cholesterol levels
- having a history of cardiovascular illness in one’s family
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Trusted Source approximately 47 percent of American adults have at least one of the three “key” risk factors for cardiovascular disease, which are high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and tobacco smoking.
Pay attention to what your doctor has to say if they have cautioned you about the possibility of developing heart disease.
What steps you can take right away
When left to one’s own devices, the interpretation of symptoms might be challenging. In addition to other symptoms, swollen lower extremities, weariness, an abnormal heart rhythm, and other symptoms might point to a wide variety of cardiac problems as well as other ailments.
It is in your best interest to cultivate a working relationship with a physician who is familiar with both your personal and family history. A physician who is familiar with your routine and way of life will be in a better position to identify your disease.
Make an appointment with your primary care physician before you suffer any of the signs of heart disease. Maintain a regular checkup schedule with your doctor and pay attention to any recommendations they may have for you regarding how to lead a healthier life.
Alterations to your diet, exercise routine, and mental attitude can be just as important as maintaining regular medical checkups. The following are included in this category:
- Quit using tobacco immediately.
Engage in some form of physical activity.
- Ensure that you keep a healthy weight.
Take steps to reduce your stress.