You will be surprised to know that more than 6 million people in America suffer from heart issues. Although the first sign of heart failure can be a stroke or a mild heart attack, the roots of heart failure lie elsewhere. What most of you do not realize is the problems pertaining to heart failure start way ahead of a heart attack. Most people ignore minute heart issues. As a result, when they face a severe attack, the damage is already done.
If you have elderly people in your house, make sure to take care of them. Now, we live in a fast-paced world where the age of people prone to heart attacks has shifted from elderly or older adults to youngsters and middle-aged people. So, nobody is out of the radar, especially when it comes to heart health. If you notice anyone in your house suffering from mild heart issues, never ignore it. Instead, talk with your heart specialist immediately.
Since many of you do not know about the early signs and symptoms of heart failure, you fail to recognize it at the first chance. However, we have come up with this blog to inform you about the various warning signs that you need to be careful about to prevent a heart attack. Not taking care of your heart can be life-threatening. To prevent yourself from a poor heart attack or your family members from a threatening disease, read this blog till the end.
What are the common early signs of heart failure?
You will be astonished to know that the most common signs of heart failure are associated with other health conditions. This is what most of you overlook and land up in trouble later in life. However, if you have one or two symptoms of heart failure that recur or persists now and then, it would be wise to seek immediate medical advice. With the help of a medical professional, you can get the best treatment at the right time.
The common signs and symptoms of heart failure include the following:
- Dry cough
- Shortness of breath along with heavy panting
- Difficulty while exercising
- Weight gain and swelling
- Extreme weakness and fatigue
- Trouble while getting sleep or requiring an extra pillow for sleeping
- Nausea
- Loss of appetite
- Palpitations in the heart
- Waking up in the middle of the night due to shortness of breath
- Unexplained weight gain
Now, let us discuss each of the symptoms individually and see how they contribute to heart failure.
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Shortness of breath
There can be several reasons for experiencing shortness of breath. When you undergo physical activity, you are sure to pant right after ending it. However, it becomes a matter of concern when you experience shortness of breath and pant without even doing any physical activity that might exert you. when you have heart failure, you are sure to experience shortness of breath because it becomes difficult for you to keep up with the pace of the blood flow from the heart.
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Weakness and fatigue
When you feel tired even by doing little to no work, it is known as fatigue. Sometimes, you can feel tired due to allergies or colds. However, these health issues are minute ones and can be resolved with ease. However, the one chronic condition that can cause extreme weakness and fatigue is heart failure. When you have heart failure, you feel fatigued. This is because the oxygen reaching the different parts of your body is not pure. In short, the less oxygen-rich blood makes it difficult for the heart to function well and circulate the blood to the rest of your body parts.
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Swelling and weight gain
The possible areas of your body that can get swollen include feet, abdomen and ankles. Right after you have had a workout session, you may experience some swelling in different parts of your body. This type of swelling is known as oedema. However, failure in the heart can also result in swelling. This is because when you have heart failure, your kidneys fail to filter the sodium properly. As a result, your heart produces chemicals that make the body hold unto fluid. Due to this, you might experience unexpected weight gain.
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Frequent dry cough
There can be several health issues that may lead to a cough. However, the kind of coughing you experience from heart failure is entirely different from the others. When a cough emanates from heart failure, it has a lasting dryness in the throat along with a hacking cough. When the cough becomes persistent, you can notice some frothy and pink mucus. With time, the intensity of the coughing increases. So, the earlier you get heart failure treated by the doctor, the better it is for your health.
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Trouble sleeping
It is okay to have some trouble while sleeping sometimes. However, if you notice that you have acute insomnia, take medical attention as soon as possible. When you have trouble sleeping for at least three days a week and if this continues for a month, know that it is a serious issue and needs medical attention. You will have difficulty lying flat on the bed as it will create a shortage of breath when you have heart failure.
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Loss of appetite and nausea
When you experience heart failure, you may not feel hungry all the time. Also, you will fill nauseous much more than you usually feel. Not taking proper food at the right time can lead to poor health and a lack of nutrients and vitamins in the body.
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Heart palpitations
When you have heart palpitations, you feel your heart racing, fluttering, pounding and skipping much more than it should. This is because due to heart failure, your heart is not getting enough oxygenated blood that it should get.
Conclusion
Therefore, when it comes to matters of the heart, you can be extra careful and take the necessary actions at the right time. Besides the signs and symptoms mentioned in the blog, if you have high blood pressure, you must book a consultation with a heart specialist as this can trigger a heart attack.
