Signs of Heart Problems
By: Robert NamTotal Views: 396, Word Count: 494,
There are many factors, which can cause heart problems. Common signs that are often found in heart disease patients are mentioned below.
Signs of Heart Problems
Chest Discomfort and Chest Pain: Chest pain is one of the most common signs of heart failure. Chest pain can occur due to disorder of the lungs, heart, esophagus, and large blood vessels. Some times, it may be in upper abdomen, jaw, arms, or shoulders. This discomfort may be in the form of gas, pressure, ache, burn or at times it can be a very sharp pain.
Shortness Of Breath: Shortness of breath is one of the common sign of cardiac heart disease or lung disorders. Normally, Heart problems cause shortness of breath. Heart patient often experience difficultly in breathing while exerting or lying flat on their backs. Some times, heart patients get up at night gasping for air (breathing); this condition is known as a paroxysmal nocturnal dyspnea.
Shortness of breath requires doctor’s attention. Lung problems such as asthma, emphysema, pneumonia, pleural effusion, and bronchitis scan also cause shortness of breath.
Dizziness Or Light-Headedness: This sign is mainly caused due to insufficient flow of blood to the brain. It happens due to unusual heartbeats. This situation arises when the heart is not able to pump sufficient blood due to blood clotting in other body parts.
Light-headedness or dizziness can have several causes like- viral illness, dehydration, anemia, diabetes, thyroid disease, liver disease, kidney disease, vascular disease, heart failure, and cardiac arrhythmias.
Heart Palpitations: A palpitation is an unusual awareness of the heartbeat. It is one of the common signs of heart problems. People with heart palpitations have irregular heartbeats or skipped heartbeats.
Mostly people suffering from cardia arrhythmia suffer from abnormal heartbeats or rhythm. Heart palpitation is a sign of the most dangerous heart disease i.e. ventricular tachycardia.
Loss of consciousness or fainting (Syncope): Syncope is a stage, which causes a sudden and temporary loss of consciousness. Most of the people pass from this stage at least once in their lives. Since syncope can cause a threatening condition, therefore, proper measure should be taken to figure out the cause behind this problem. The syncope can lead to four major heart problems such as metabolic, cardiac, vasomotor, and neurologic heart disease.
Fatigue, lethargy, or daytime sleepiness: These are the common signs that are found in a heart disease patient. Heart cannot pump the adequate amount of blood needed by body tissue, as a result of which blood is diverted to only main body parts i.e. heart and the brain.
Other body parts do not get sufficient amount of blood. This situation leads to fatigue or daytime sleepiness. Fatigue or lethargy can be said as an inability to perform the daily activities such as walking, climbing stairs, and shopping.
See whether you have any of the above signs of heart problem. If you have any of them then consult your doctor for immediate medical treatment.
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.
Advice Rating: Not yet rated
Login to vote