What are the signs of heart disease?
- Dietitian.Lauren Hmede
- Mar 15, 2019
- 2 min read
12 clues about heart disease:
Sleep apnea
Snoring is broken up by pauses in breathing and then your brain is not getting enough oxygen so it will send a signal to your blood vessels to pump more blood and work harder. This may lead to high blood pressure, abnormal heart rhythms, strokes, and heart failure. Fortunately, sleep apnea is treatable.
Yellow-Orange Bumpy Rash
Extremely high triglyceride levels can make your skin break out around the knuckles of your fingers and toes and on your bottom. High triglycerides is linked to hard vessels and high risk of stroke and heart diseases.
Poor Grip Strength
When you find difficulty if grasping an object this can be a sign of heart disease.
Dark Spot under Nails
Endocarditis is an infection affecting the lining of heart or valves and it can be detected by blood dots under your nails. This sign could appear when you have diabetes type 2.
Dizziness
Light-headedness is a result of insufficient oxygen in the brain. Dizziness could be a symptom of an abnormal rhythm, called an arrhythmia. Heart failure, meaning the weakening of the muscle, can also make you unsteady. Feeling woozy is one of the many lesser-known symptoms of a heart attack, too.
Sexual Problems
Men with erectile dysfunction may have circulation problems related to high blood pressure or narrow arteries from cholesterol build-up. These blood-flow problems can also lessen a woman’s libido and ability to enjoy sex.
Skin Colour Changes
Blocked or narrow blood vessels are due to poor circulation and lead to grey or blue skin. A lacy, mottled, purple pattern shows up when bits of built-up cholesterol plaques break off, then get stuck in small blood vessels.
Bleeding Gums
Studies have been shown that bleeding, swollen, or tender gums may lead to trouble with your ticker. One theory is that bacteria from your gums gets into your bloodstream and sets off inflammation in your heart. Having gum disease, which can lead to tooth loss, may also raise your chances of a stroke.
Dark, Velvety Skin Patches
You may find these thick spots, called acanthosis nigricans, in skin folds and creases such as your neck, armpits, and groin when your body has trouble using the hormone insulin. The patches could have skin tags, too. If you aren't being treated for insulin resistance, metabolic syndrome, or type 2 diabetes, see your doctor for help controlling your blood sugar and protecting your heart.
Trouble Breathing
Shortness of breathing can be due to irregular rhythm, heart attack or heart stoke. You need to consult your doctor.
Swelling in Lower Legs
Fluid build-up can be a sign of heart failure and poor circulation. Swollen legs can be due to blocked blood return from lower limbs to heart. Ask your doctor if you have this symptom.
Fatigue
Heart failure may let you feel fatigue and tired due to poor oxygen delivery. Watch for other symptoms, such as coughing and swelling, too, since feeling wiped out and weak can be a warning sign of many different conditions, including anaemia, cancer, or even depression.
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