Overview
Heart disease refers to conditions affecting the heart, such as coronary heart disease, heart attack, congestive heart failure, and congenital heart disease.
An estimated 17 million people die of heart disease every year, and is the leading cause of death for men and women in the US.
Symptoms
There are many different types of heart disease, and as such, there are varying signs and symptoms that could indicate the condition, although many heart problems have similar warning signs. The symptoms that you may experience depend on the type and severity of your heart condition.
Below is a brief list of symptoms for some of the various heart conditions:
– Coronary Heart Disease: shortness of breath, irregular or faster heartbeat, weakness, nausea
– Arrhythmias: Palpitations, chest pounding, dizziness, fainting, shortness of breath
– Heart Attack: Chest pain, heavy arms, sweating, weakness, nausea, irregular heartbeat
– Heart Valve Disease: shortness of breath, weakness, palpitations, chest pain
– Heart Failure: Chest pain, quick weight gain, weakness, swelling in ankles, legs; irregular heartbeat, dizziness, nausea
– Congenital Heart Defects: shortness of breath, limited ability to exercise, symptoms of heart failure or valve disease
– Congenital Heart Defects (in infants/children): poor feeding, poor weight gain, fast breathing, recurrent lung infections, inability to exercise, cyanosis (bluish tint to skin, nails and lips)
Causes
A substantial number of heart disease related deaths have been attributed to smoking. There are various other risk factors that contribute to heart disease, some of which can be changed or avoided, while others cannot. For example, you cannot change a family history of heart disease, however you can quit smoking.
Every risk factor counts, and can be summarised to include:
– Smoking
– Hypertension (high blood pressure)
– Diabetes
– Physical inactivity
– High blood cholesterol
– Overweight/obesity
– High fat diet
– Hereditary
– Emotional stress
Solutions
As with all serious health concerns, it is important to see your family physician. That being said, there are steps that everyone can take to decrease their risk for heart disease, including:
– Quit smoking
– Improve cholesterol levels
– Control high blood pressure
– Get active
– Eat right
– Achieve and maintain your healthy weight
– Control diabetes
– Manage stress and anger
