Health A-Z

What are the Symptoms of Heart Disease?

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Did you know that cardiovascular diseases are the leading causes of death globally? According to the World Health Organization (WHO), cardiovascular diseases caused 32% of all global deaths which accounted for 17.9 million deaths in 2019. Out of these, 85% were caused by stroke and heart attack. Heart disease in the UAE can be prevented by addressing people’s behavioral risk factors like obesity, unhealthy diet, physical inactivity, etc.

What is Heart Disease?

Heart disease is a broad term used to describe conditions that affect the function and structure of the heart muscle. These are medical conditions attacking the heart and blood vessels. These conditions include heart failure, coronary artery disease, congenital heart disease, and arrhythmia. Other heart diseases include heart valve disease, heart infections, cardiomyopathy, and cardiomegaly.

Signs and Symptoms of Heart Disease

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Heart disease develops over time. You might experience early signs and symptoms before getting serious problems. The signs might not be obvious and people might experience different symptoms. Understanding the signs can help you get early treatment and prevent heart attacks and strokes. These signs and symptoms include;

Chest Pain

The most obvious sign of heart disease is chest pain. If you experience unexplained chest pain, it might be time to consult the best cardiologists Dubai to rule out the possibility of having heart disease. Chest pain occurs as pain or discomfort along the front of your body, between your upper abdomen and neck.

Chest pain has many causes, that’s why you need to consult an expert to know the cause. It is the most common symptom caused by a heart attack or poor blood flow to the heart; this is known as angina. Chest pain occurs when there is inadequate blood or oxygen to your heart. The pain intensity varies from individual to individual.

Indigestion or Stomach Pain

Stomach pain, indigestion, or a burning sensation in your stomach or chest can be related to heart problems or a sign of heart disease. The initial signs that indicate heart disease are sharp and irregular. However, with time, symptoms become severe. The pain occurs close to the left upper side of your stomach. You might also experience pain in the esophageal sphincter.

This happens due to unusual electrical activity from your heart. Stomach issues caused by heart disease include nausea. Although nausea is associated with stomach pain, it can also be linked to deteriorating heart health.

You might also experience acute intestinal ischemia that occurs when a blood clot is lodged in one of your intestinal arteries. Another gastrointestinal problem caused by heart disease is Intestinal angina due to problems and pain linked with eating; this may cause you to lose weight.

Shortness of Breath

Shortness of breath is another sign of heart disease caused by congestion and fluid accumulation in your lungs. These lungs cannot exchange oxygen adequately. In the early stages of heart failure, you might experience shortness of breath during or after exercise, but if the heart failure escalates, you might experience shortness of breath while resting. You might experience more breathlessness while laying down because the fluid in your lungs is attracted to gravity, making your lungs extremely wet.

Feeling Sweaty

Excessive sweating can be a sign of heart disease if it’s accompanied by the following symptoms: fatigue, dizziness, shortness of breath, indigestion or nausea, and pressure or pain in your arms or chest that projects to your back, jaw, or neck. Sweating can also be linked to atherosclerosis, which causes the narrowing of your arteries by the buildup of plaque. Atherosclerosis can cause heart disease and heart attack. As the condition escalates, your arteries get narrower and your heart has to work harder to pump blood to vital organs.

Chest pain or angina occurs when inadequate oxygen-rich blood reaches your heart. Individuals with angina usually break out in cold sweats. Sweating at night can also be a sign of heart disease known as subacute endocarditis.  This condition infects the membrane that lines your heart valves and heart chambers. Although sweating can be a sign of heart disease, it can also be your body’s way of cooling itself on a hot day or during/after exercising.

Fatigue

Heart failure causes your heart to pump blood slowly causing less blood to reach your muscles. The lack of nourishment and oxygen, causes your muscles to get tired faster. In addition, the reduced pumping causes congestion in your lungs which causes shortness of breath. Some individuals find it difficult to differentiate between shortness of breath and fatigue. Increased fatigue during activities is an indication of heart disease.

Coughing or Wheezing

Coughing and wheezing that does not go away could indicate that your lungs are filled with fluid. You might also cough up bloody or pink mucus. How does heart failure cause coughing? When you have heart failure or congestive heart failure, your heart is unable to pump blood effectively.

This, in turn, causes lung congestion as fluid builds up into the alveoli of your lungs. As a result, you’ll cough as your body tries to clear the fluid from the lungs. It is necessary to seek medical advice because a cardiac cough can be mistaken for allergies or cold.

Arm Pain

While not all left arm pain is serious, it might be a sign of heart disease. Pain in your left arm can be normal when you’re older but it can also be a sign of a serious medical condition. How do you recognize left arm pain caused by heart disease?

One sign that you’re having a heart attack is left arm pain. This happens because of the nerves found in your arms and the ones that branch from the heart that relay signals to the brain. In this case, your brain cannot locate the source of the pain. Some people experience left arm pain without chest pain.

Heart disease is a serious condition that kills many people globally. It is crucial to know which signs to look out for so you can seek medical advice. It is vital to consult the best cardiologists Dubai health centers for your heart health.