Heart Disease Symptoms
By: Robert NamTotal Views: 277, Word Count: 815,
Heart disease is the common term used to describe the several diseases or the conditions that affect your heart, which includes coronary heart disease, heart failure, heart attack, heart stroke, congenital heart disease, disorders of the heart valves, heart infections and cardiomyopathy, and heart arrhythmias.
Heart disease is one of the common killers in men as well as women. A heart disease generally refers to a condition, which narrows or blocks the blood vessels, which can lead to heart attack, chest pain, or stroke.
Heart Disease Symptoms
Heart disease symptoms vary depending on the type of disease infected. Following are the symptoms for some of the common heart disease.
Heart disease Symptoms due to cardiovascular disease
Cardio vascular disease causes due to the narrowed and blocked or stiffened of the blood vessels which results in insufficient supply of oxygen to the heart, brain and other body parts. Symptom for cardiovascular heart disease includes.
- Chest pain (Angina)
- Shortness of breath
- Pain, weakness, or coldness in your arms and legs. (according to the blockage of the artery)
Heart disease symptoms due to abnormal heart beat (arrhythmias)
Heart arrhythmias is an abnormal rate of heart beat. In the condition of arrhythmia, your heart beats too fast, too slow or irregularly. Following are the symptoms of the arrhythmia.
· A racing heart beat ( tachycardia)
· A fluttering in chest
· A slow heart beat (bradcycardia)
· Shortness of breath
· Dizziness
· Chest pain
· Lightheadedness
· Fainting (Syncope)
Heart disease symptoms due to heart defects
A serious congenital heart defects are the defects, which remain present from the time of birth. Following are the symptoms of heart defects.
- A pale grey or blue skin color(Cyanosis)
- Swelling in the abdomen, legs or the areas near to the eyes
- Shortness of breath during feedings
- Poor weight gain
The other less serious congenital heart defects are not often detected until the adulthood. Signs and symptoms of the congenital heart defects include.
· Shortness of breath while performing exercise
· Swelling in the abdomen ankles or feet
· Gets Easily tired after exercise
· Build up of fluid in the heart or lungs
Heart Disease Symptoms Due To Thick Heart Muscle (Cardiomyopathy)
Cardiomyopathy is a condition of thickening and stiffening of the heart muscle. In the early stage of the cardiomypathy, you may not have any symptoms. As the condition, gets worsen or in an advanced stage, symptoms may include.
- Swelling of legs, feet and ankles
- Breathlessness
- Bloating of the abdomen with fluid
- Fatigue
- Irregular heartbeats
- Dizziness
- Lightheadedness and fainting
Heart Disease Symptoms Due To Heart Infections
There are mainly three types of heart infections, it includes pericarditis- it affects the tissue surrounding the heart, myocarditis – it affects the muscular middle layer of the walls of heart, and the endocarditis- it affects the inner membrane which affects the chamber and the valves of your heart. Heart infection symptoms include.
- Shortness of breath
- Fever
- Swelling in your legs or abdomen
- Changes in your heart rhythm
- Skin rashes
- Dry or persistent cough
- Weakness or fatigue
Heart Disease Symptoms Due To Valvular Heart Disease
The heart has four valves that include the aortic, mitral, pulmonary and tricuspid valves. Valve may damage due to several conditions such as narrowing, leaking, or improper closing. Valvular heart disease symptoms may include.
- Shortness of breath
- Swollen feet or ankles
- Fatigue
- Irregular heartbeat or heart murmur
- Chest pain
- Fainting
If you think that, any of the above symptoms of heart disease especially chest pain, shortness of breath, and fainting, do consult your doctor for medical checkup at the earliest.
About the Author
Dr. Robert Nam is a well known heart specialist and has done postgraduate training in cardiology at the national heart hospital, the London chest hospital and UCL hospital, London. He was also engaged in research at the national heart and lung institute. Nowadays he is working as a consultant cardiologist at UCL hospital, London.
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