Symptoms of Heart Disease
The most common symptoms of heart disease, other than angina, include shortness of breath, palpitations, irregular or quickened heartbeat, weakness, dizziness, nausea and sweating.
Angina or angina pectoris is the medical term used to describe chest pain. Heart disease treatment may include drug therapy, surgery or implantation of a device to help maintain proper heart rhythm, such as a pacemaker or ICD.
The common symptoms of heart disease are also the primary symptoms of heart attacks. In short, anyone who experiences the symptoms of heart disease should see their doctor immediately.
Evaluation by a physician is necessary to determine which heart disease treatment is appropriate, assuming any treatment at all is needed. Self-diagnosis or self-treatment of chest pain is never appropriate. Never forget that a heart attack does permanent damage to the muscle of the heart.
There are a number of different diseases of the heart. The aforementioned symptoms of heart disease pertain to coronary artery disease, which is a narrowing of the blood vessels leading to the heart due to a build up of fats and plaque.
Heart disease treatment and risk factors mentioned below also pertain primarily to coronary artery heart disease since this is one of the most common of all heart dieases.
Treatment for coronary artery disease or atherosclerosis can be quite effective and can actually reverse the disease process over time. Attention to blood pressure and cholesterol levels may prevent coronary artery disease, which is why regular check-ups, including blood pressure and cholesterol checks, are so important.
Being male is considered one of the major uncontrollable risk factors for developing heart disease. Other uncontrollable risk factors include older age and genetics. In women, there is an increased risk of heart disease associated with a decrease in natural estrogen levels that occur after menopause or after removal of the ovaries, but hormone replacement therapy, thought to reduce the risk of heart disease at one time, is no longer considered beneficial for the purpose.
Risk factors for developing coronary artery disease that are considered controllable include: high cholesterol, high blood pressure, improper diet, obesity, lack of exercise, smoking, chronic stress, uncontrolled diabetes and inflammation of the arteries. A blood test for C-reactive protein is a particularly important test, as it may reveal the presence of inflammation of the arteries.
Although the symptoms of heart disease may include quickened heart rate, increased heart rate during exercise does not damage the heart. The heart was meant to be active. It is a muscle and like any other muscle of the body, it will weaken from lack of use. Regular aerobic exercise can strengthen the cardiovascular system, improve circulation and even improve the symptoms of heart disease, including heart failure. Most doctors recommend regular exercise as part of a complete heart disease treatment program.
In addition, a regular exercise program, along with a reasonable diet, can help a person maintain a normal healthy weight. When obesity is a factor, even the best heart disease treatment options may be ineffective.
People who have had surgery as a heart disease treatment reduce the risk that their arteries will become narrow again by following practical dietary and exercise recommendations.
Symptoms of heart disease, such as shortness of breath and feelings of weakness may be relieved by beginning a regular exercise program and making dietary changes. Of course, no one who has been diagnosed with heart disease should begin an exercise program without first consulting their doctor.
Other health benefits of a regular exercise program that are directly related to coronary artery disease include decreased blood pressure, reduced LDL (bad) cholesterol levels and improved sleep.
Sleep apneas, a condition in which breathing stops for a short time during sleep, commonly occurs in people who are inactive and overweight and has been associated with both high blood pressure and heart disease.
One more factor that has been linked to both coronary artery disease and kidney disease is a high homocysteine level. Homocysteine is an amino acid found in meat. High levels of homocysteine are associated with low levels of B6, B12 and folic acid. Increasing intake of B vitamins and folic acid can break down homocysteine. Folic acid and the B-vitamins are found primarily in fruits, vegetables and whole grains. Other substances found in vitamins, minerals and other food compounds and believed to be important for heart health are called antioxidants.
Antioxidants fight substances called free radicals, which can cause cellular damage that leads to the development of heart disease. One of the richest source of antioxidants currently known is a fruit called the mangosteen. Also a good source of B vitamins and folic acid, this Asian fruit is only available in most areas in the form of a juice or puree.
Research has proven that the mangosteen contains powerful anti-inflammatories. Unlike synthetic anti-inflammatories which can be ineffective and have unwanted side effects, scientists believe that natural anti-inflammatories have no side effects and are more effective, because they target a large group of inflammatory responses.
Current heart disease treatment can be effective if those who suffer from the disease make the necessary lifestyle and dietary changes. Anyone can benefit from efforts to correct controllable risk factors. In addition, making dietary and lifestyle changes can prevent the symptoms of heart disease from progressing to heart attack or heart failure.
Most important causes for heart diseases
There are many causes for heart conditions, so I will point out the most important of them. Almost all of heart diseases are mainly caused by high blood pressure which will end up hardening your arteries. Another cause will be very bad diets consisting in food based on high level of fat, which will make big amounts of cholesterol build up in the arteries. All these may cause an arterial blockage which will affect the blood flow transporting oxygen and other nutriments to the heart.
A. Types of Heart Diseases
Our heart is located in the chest between lungs, it has four chambers, heart muscle and it acts as a pump, which will push the blood through our body.
Because there are so many types of heart illnesses I will point out only the most common of them
1. Heart diseases affecting heart chambers
Heart failure occurs when heart is not pumping sufficient blood so the body will not get the amount of blood and oxygen that it needs to do day to day activities. This is mainly caused by narrowed arteries which will provide with blood to the heart muscle.
2. Heart Disease affecting heart muscles
If heart muscles are affected we can distinguish two cases. Muscles are stiff, which will determine that more pressure is required for blood to get inside your main organ. Obstructing blood flow out of the heart will be as a result of narrowed or blocked arteries.
B. Symptoms for Heart diseases
Heart condition makes the biggest number of deaths worldwide after cancer. Like I said before there are many causes of heart illness, so this will mean that the number of symptoms will also be high. The most important symptoms for this awful condition are:
1. Chest pain
This is caused by temporary blockage of vessels. Another cause can be insufficient blood with oxygen to the muscles of your main organ. This symptom can be a very good indicator of this illness.
2. Shortness of breath
This symptom is mainly caused by left ventricular insufficiency. People with shortness of breath will have 4 times more chances to die because of a heart condition than people which won't have any symptoms.
3. Headaches
Usually this symptom would not cause the illness we talked about, but a sudden big head pain might be considered as a symptom for this condition.
4. Dizziness
This symptom can be caused by a lot of things like: low iron in the blood stream, dehydration, viral illnesses and low blood count. Because there are many thing that can cause dizziness, in case you will experience such a symptom you should go immediately at your doctor to see what caused that.
This article is a brief discussion of the more common symptoms of two classes of heart disease. These are cardiovascular and rheumatic heart diseases. Nothing in this article should be considered as medical advice in any way. The statements herein are intended solely for information to heighten awareness of a health problem that claims the lives of more men and women than any other disease. And, this is by no means a complete coverage of this topic.
The symptoms of heart disease seem to fall in two broad categories, cardiovascular, and rheumatic. While probably not a conclusive list, cardiovascular heart problems are typically classified in six broad categories. These include coronary heart disease, cerebrovascular disease, peripheral arterial disease, congenital heart disease, deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism.
These, collectively, are classified as "CVD", which seem to share some common symptoms. While this is a fact, we can not take much comfort in that because, the symptoms of a heart attack may be the attack itself, caused by a more serious, underlying disorder. The same can be said of a stroke.
Generally the symptoms of a heart attack can include pain or discomfort in the chest, usually the center. Other symptoms can include pain in the arms, left shoulder, elbows and numbness in the lower extremities, such as the forearm. While sharing some of these same symptoms, strokes can also include the onset of numbness in the face, or extremities, which in most cases this seems to focus on one side of the body. The onset of a stroke can also result in hearing and speaking difficulty. More severe symptoms include loss of coordination and balance, fainting or unconsciousness.
The second area is "rheumatic" which results from physical damage to the heart from Rheumatic fever brought on by strep throat. The symptoms of Rheumatic heart disease include nausea, fever, pain and vomiting.
Why is it good to consider, by way of reminders, the symptoms of heart disease? Easy. The symptoms do not always work. They are either ignored, or dismissed as caused by stress. Clearly, a better approach to avoiding heart disease, or at least managing the potential we all possess, is needed. Why? Because through better diet and changes in lifestyle, the approximately 80 percent of the premature deaths from heart disease could be avoided.
Aside from learning what these symptoms could be warning us of, it should also be understood that some of these same signs may be from maladies unrelated to the heart. The message is when such symptoms occur; they are not to be treated lightly. You should do two things. First see a doctor. Second, resolve to make necessary changes in eating and other habits to reduce your risk.
Heart disease is a very generic term used for a variety of diseases distressing the heart. According to a survey, it is the leading reason of death in developed nations such as, the United States, England, Canada, and the like, exterminating one person every 30 seconds in the United States alone.
There are several symptoms of heard disease. Here are the most common signs you should lookout for:
Chest Discomfort:
Chest discomfort can be caused due to several different reasons. However, it is also a leading symptom of heart disease. Consequently, it should never be dismissed as being irrelevant. Uneasiness in the chest is also known as Angina. Angina can be explained as a distressing, burning, squeezing, or painful, feeling in the chest. It can be easily mistaken for upset stomach. However, it is much more serious and a vital symptom of heart disease. Make sure you consult a doctor if your chest feels heavy.
Loss of Consciousness:
Loss of consciousness or syncope is again one of the very common symptoms of Heart disease. Although people may faint, due to several other reasons such as stress, weakness and the like, but nonetheless, it can also indicate a graver issue, such as a heart problem.
Syncope can indicate a dangerous cardiac difficulty. In fact, a cardiac syncope can lead to sudden death of the victim.
Fatigue:
Fatigue is also one of the many familiar symptoms of heart disease. Fatigue or lethargy is fundamentally the inability of the body to carry on functioning at typical levels. Another dimension of fatigue is somnolence in which the patient craves sleep either all the time or abruptly falls asleep. While fatigue and lethargy can be signs of heart disease, these symptoms can also mean minute disorders. However, the best way to find out is by consulting a doctor immediately.
Breathlessness:
Shortness of breath is a symptom of cardiac disorder. It is a know fact that victims of heart failure experience breathlessness whenever they exert or lye on their backs.
Shortness of breath in victims can also lead to abrupt waking up at night with a problem in breathing properly. Several forms of heart problems such as Coronary artery disease, pericardial disease, or cardiac arrhythmias can lead to this problem.
Heart Failure:
There can be no obvious symptoms of heart disease than a heart failure. There are several signs of a heart failure such as, Cough that produces white mucus, sudden weight gain, dizziness, abnormal swelling in the body, irregular heart beats, nausea, palpitation and the like.