Alexandria Wyckoff
Heart disease is often a slow-developing ailment, with early signs or symptoms before serious heart problems. Sometimes, adults don’t even realize they are developing the disease until something happens and possibly puts them in the hospital. While not everyone will have the same symptoms, you should be aware of these six warning signs of heart disease, and contact your doctor if you have concerns.
6. Stomach Pain
Starting our list of warning signs of heart disease is stomach pain. While it may seem odd, stomach pain could signal a heart attack or failure because the heart, stomach, and gullet are in such close proximity to one another. They also share nerve pathways, and reduced blood flow may affect the digestive system, resulting in stomach pain. This often happens in women and includes nausea or vomiting.
5. Feeling Sweaty
Fifth on our list of warning signs of heart disease is feeling sweaty. While working up a sweat at the gym or being outside on a summer day is nothing to worry about, if you feel hot and clammy with chest pains, it could be something serious. This is especially crucial if you haven’t done any exertion and still feel sweaty, as the heart is struggling to pump blood and may be under stress.
4. Coughing/Wheezing
Next on our list of warning signs of heart disease is coughing or wheezing. If you are coughing or wheezing and it doesn’t go away, it could be a sign that fluid is building up in your lungs. It specifically signals congestive heart failure, because the weakened heart cannot pump blood efficiently. Other signs are a wet cough, irritated airways, and white or pink mucus.
3. Swelling in Legs/Ankles/Feet
Rounding out the top three warning signs of heart disease is swelling (also known as edema) in your lower legs, such as the legs, ankles, or feet. When your heart doesn’t function properly, blood flow backs up in the veins of your legs and leads to swelling in the tissues. While sometimes swelling can be caused by other factors, such as medication or low mobility, it can also signal heart failure.
2. Shortness of Breath
Second on our list of warning signs of heart disease is shortness of breath. Similar to the swelling, when the heart can’t pump blood as well as it should, blood backs up in the veins. However, in this situation, the veins that are affected are the ones from the lungs to the heart. Fluid then leaks into the lungs and causes shortness of breath, which could be heart failure. Pay attention to shortness of breath during activity, while resting, or lying flat on your back.
1. Chest Pain
Last but not least on our list of warning signs of heart disease is chest pain. One of the most recognizable symptoms, chest pain, is often felt along the front of the body, between and possibly including your neck and upper abdomen. While there are many other causes for chest pain, the one that relates to heart issues is due to poor blood flow to the heart. It could also signal a heart attack. The intensity will depend on person to person, but if it does not stop after resting for a few minutes, you should get to a doctor as soon as possible.