Pay attention to these early signs of heart disease

Heart disease is a wide spectrum term that covers a huge group of heart related disorders like coronary artery disease, heart failure, arrhythmias, angina, and birth abnormalities. Heart disease is an emerging issue of concern not only in India, but worldwide, especially now shifting to the younger generation. Around 17.7 million deaths across the globe are due to heart diseases. India is responsible for around one-fifth of these deaths according to the World Health Organization (WHO). In India, the cardiovascular diseases have an early onset, rapid progression, and high mortality rate which is the main issue of concern that needs to be dealt with immediately. 

With the increasing cases of heart diseases and heart attack worldwide, it is very important to create awareness about it among the ageing aswell as younger population. 

In this article, let us talk about the early signs of heart diseases that you can observe, and how these signs differ in males and females.

What are the early signs of heart disease?

There are certain symptoms that occur at an early stage of heart disease and you can very easily observe and be vigilant about these symptoms. Some of the most common early signs of heart diseases are listed below.

Chest pain and discomfort. 

The most common symptom of heart attack is chest pain in both males and females. You can feel pain, pressure, or tightness in your chest if your arteries are blocked or you are having a heart attack. You may feel the pain or discomfort in your chest for more than a few minutes. Heart attack can occur at any time whether you are at rest or you are doing some physical work. Chest pain can occur in both males and females. However, females experience chest pain differently, that is, the pain can occur anywhere in the chest, and not particularly on the left side, like in males. The chest pain usually gives a feeling of fullness or as if it is squeezing. 

Stomach pain, nausea, and indigestion

Stomach pain can be a symptom of heart attack as well a symptom of heartburn, flu, or stomach ulcer. Thus, people commonly misdiagnose stomach pain for something else when it actually indicates a heart attack. Stomach pain can be accompanied by indigestion, nausea, and heartburn as well. Stomach pain, nausea, and indigestion are more common symptoms in males than in females. Severe pressure on the abdominal area in females also often indicates heart attack. Stomach pain can be a cause of many diseases, but if you have a family history of heart diseases, you must consult your doctor in case of stomach pain.

Fatigue

Fatigue or extreme tiredness is very common in case of heart attacks. You may feel extremely tired even if you haven't done anything the whole day. It makes simple daily work also feel like a huge burden for you, that is, you feel tired and exhausted doing the daily chores which you were earlier able to do without any burden. Tiredness and fatigue is a common heart attack symptom in females.

Excess Sweating

Cold sweats, or sweating without any obvious reason before a heart attack is very common to occur. These sweats resemble stress-related sweating instead of perspiration that generally occurs due to some strenuous activity or heat. Make sure that you consult a doctor in case of excessive and unreasonable sweating.

Shortness of breath

You can also have some difficulty in breathing in case of a heart attack. You may feel that you have done a strenuous activity when you have actually not moved a bit. In females, nausea or lightheadedness or nausea can be an essential part of mini heart attack symptoms. Make sure to consult your cardiologist, if you experience shortness of breath and other associated symptoms of heart attack.

Pain in the other body parts

Apart from chest pain, you can also experience pain in the other body parts like the neck, back, jaw, and arms. As a part of a heart attack symptom, the pain can occur suddenly or it may be present and then spread gradually to other body parts. The intensity of your body pain can fluctuate before becoming extremely intense or unbearable. The pain may even specifically radiate towards the left side of your body only. If you have any unexplained or atypical pain in your body then you must consult your cardiologist.

Dizziness

Dizziness or sudden loss of balance is a common thing to occur and can be due to various causes ranging from improper nutrition to heart attack as well. You must consult your doctor if you feel dizziness along with shortness of breath and chest discomfort.

Jaw or throat pain

Throat or jaw pain is not directly linked with heart attack. The pain in your jaw or throat usually occurs due to sinus, cold, or muscular issues. Sometimes, your chest pain may extend to your throat as well that can indicate a heart attack as well.

Snoring

Snoring while sleeping is a very normal condition to occur for almost everyone. However, a choking or gasping snoring can be an indication of sleep apnea. These snores are characterised by interrupted breathing for brief moments several times at night. The interrupted breathing puts an extra pressure on your heart and thus you must consult a doctor to know whether or not you require a CPAP machine to smooth out your breathing while sleeping.

Untreatable cough

Cough is generally not associated with a heart attack, but the group of people who are at a higher risk of developing heart diseases must pay special attention to this symptom. A prolonged cough characterised with a pink or white mucus can be a possible sign of heart attack. This generally happens in cases where your heart is not able to match your body’s demands leading to the leakage of blood into your lungs.

Swollen ankles, feet, and legs

Apart from body pain, your ankles, feet, and legs may swell up due to ineffective pumping of blood. When your heart is not able to pump blood at the required pace, it can lead to back up of the blood in the veins leading to bloating of these body parts. Another possible reason for bloating can be renal failure which makes it harder for the kidneys to excrete out extra sodium and water from your body.

Irregular heart beat

An increased heart rate including addition or subtraction of a heart beat once in a while is normal. But if your heart beat remains increased for more than a few seconds or if it occurs more frequently, then you must surely take advice from a doctor. This can generally happen due to factors like increased intake of caffeine or inappropriate sleep, but in some cases it can also be a symptom of atrial fibrillation.

Choking sensation

The sensation of choking or tightness in the throat can also be an alarming sign. Sometimes the pain in your throat caused as an indication of heart disease can choke or restrict your throat. If you feel choked, you must immediately consult your doctor as it can be an indication of heart diseases or failure.

Sickness

Ofcourse, with so much going on in your body, a feeling of sickness is very common , especially when you start noticing the symptoms of a heart attack. Therefore, if you feel nausea along with pain, you must consult your doctor for timely and accurate evaluation.

Heart diseases are fatal and can often lead to the sudden death of the individual. Heart attack is now reported very commonly in even young and fit individuals who did not have any complains or signs earlier. Therefore, a routine check-up and doctor consultation whenever you observe the symptoms of heart attack in yourself is very important. This facilitates early diagnosis of any abnormalities and aids in subsequent treatment as well.

Are the early signs of heart disease the same in males and females?

The early signs of heart diseases are more or less the same in both males and females. However, there are certain symptoms which are more commonly and profoundly seen to be expressed in either of the sexes.

The early signs of heart diseases in males

The most common heart attack symptoms known to be observed in males include:

• Crushing pain in the chest
• Pain in the jaw, arm, and back
• A feeling of fullness, discomfort, or squeezing in the chest
• Cold sweats
• Shortness of breath
• Nausea

The early signs of heart diseases in females

The intensity or expression of certain symptoms is different in females. For example, a crushing pain in the chest is less likely to be observed in females. The most common symptoms of heart diseases in females are:

• Pain in the neck, jaw, or chest area
• Feeling of squeezing on the upper back
• Feeling of faintness or lightheadedness
• Sensation of pressure, squeezing, or fullness in the centre of your chest

Also Read:- Treatable vs Untreatable Sudden Cardiac Arrest: A new clinical algorithm can find the difference

Takeaway

Heart diseases including heart attack or heart failure are very common in today’s world. In recent years, heart attacks are seen to affect the young and healthy individuals as well along with the elderly people. With the increasing cases of death due to heart attack, you must take more care of yourself and your heart health. Now that you know the early signs of heart attack and the ones which are more profound in males and females, make sure that you consult a doctor if you observe these signs in yourself or your loved ones. An early diagnosis of any heart disease can aid in effective treatment of the disease so that you have a healthy life ahead.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What are the warning signs of heart diseases?

The warning signs of heart diseases include:

• Fatigue or an unusual tiredness
• Lightheadedness or dizziness
• Trouble in sleeping
• Occasional pain or tightness in the chest
• Shortness of breath
• Swelling in ankles and legs

What are the main causes of heart diseases?

The main causes of heart diseases include:

• High cholesterol and blood pressure
• Cigarette smoking
• Obesity
• Unhealthy diet
• Lack of physical activity
• Diabetes

How can I prevent heart diseases?

You can protect yourself from heart diseases by following some simple tips:

• Eat a healthy diet
• Exercise regularly
• Monitor and control blood pressure
• Manage stress
• Take appropriate sleep
• Limit alcohol consumption
• Quit smoking