Detecting the Signs of Heart Disease

Knowing the signs of heart disease is important. Other than consulting doctor for a proper medical check up, there is no definite way to diagnose a heart disease. However, there are certain signs of heart disease that can give early warning of heart disease. Therefore it is important to be aware of these warning signs of heart disease and to consult as soon as they are detected.

Signs of Heart Disease

The different types of heart disease have different signs and symptoms. However there are some basic signs of heart disease that are common to all heart disease. An example is angina.

Angina is the chest pain that occurs when the heart muscle is starved of oxygen because of the reduced supply of blood caused by blocked coronary arteries. Angina is often described as being a discomfort, burning sensation, heaviness, pressure, or tight squeezing feeling in the chest. It is often mistaken for indigestion or heartburn. The pain may also extend to the shoulders, arms, neck, jaw and back.

A shortness of breath is another basic sign of heart disease. It occurs when blood backs up in the pulmonary veins. Pulmonary veins are the vessels that return the blood from the lungs to the heart. When blood backs up in the pulmonary veins, fluid can leak into the lungs, thus causing a shortness of breath. This symptom is most commonly experienced during physical activity, or while sleeping. A person experiencing this will often have difficulty breathing while lying flat.

Edema is another commonly experienced signs of heart disease. It is a build up of excess fluid in the body tissues. This occurs when blood flow out of the heart slows down causing the blood that is returning to the heart to backed up in the veins. The backed up blood in the veins can cause fluid to build up in the surrounding tissues.

Fatigue and tiredness are also common signs of heart disease. It occurs when the heart is not able to circulate enough blood around the body to meet the demand of all the body tissues and organs. The body will then diverts blood away from the less essential organs such as the limb muscles in order to supply the more important tissues in the heart and brain.

When any of these signs or symptoms of heart disease are encountered, you should consult a doctor as soon as possible. Early detection and treatment is important in countering heart disease.

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